Do Conservatives have Empathy & Integrity?
Short answer, No.
Empathy and Integrity are my two favorite words, and really, what else matters if you don’t have these fundamental values?
As someone who is neurodivergent and also has an anxiety disorder, I have been acutely aware of the lack of empathy and integrity that exists in the world. Since i was around the age of 7 I would become enraged watching people treat others poorly. My parents thought I was acting out, maybe had an anger problem, etc.. when in reality my brain simply could not understand how people were so inconsiderate and unethical. I remember telling my mom as Id scream in anguish that “people deserved to know when they act shitty!”, and I was going to be the one to tell them. While the youthful angsty emotion has worn off, my unwavering passion for doing what is “right” has not.
Doing the right thing matters. Having empathy matters. Caring about others, even when it does not effect you, it MATTERS. Don’t let anyone ever tell you otherwise. Because living with empathy and integrity will gain you more fulfillment than anything else in your life, even money and power.
So why does empathy and integrity come more naturally to some than others? Short answer, Emotional intelligence.
Emotional intelligence, also referred to as EQ, is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your own emotions while also being able to process and respond appropriately to the emotions of others. Unlike a persons IQ, which measures cognitive abilities, EQ plays a crucial role in interpersonal relationships, decision-making, and ethical behavior. Both empathy and integrity are essential for building trust, fostering positive relationships, and leading with moral clarity.
Not as many people are framilar with EQ, so lets take a quick dive in. A Psychologist, Daniel Goleman, popularized the concept of EQ and outlined it with five key components:
Self-Awareness – Understanding your own emotions and how they influence your behavior.
Self-Regulation – Managing emotional reactions in a healthy and constructive way.
Motivation – Using emotions to drive personal and professional growth.
Empathy – Recognizing and understanding the emotions of others.
Social Skills – Effectively navigating social interactions, building relationships, and resolving conflicts.
Empathy and integrity are deeply rooted in emotional intelligence, influencing how individuals interact with others and uphold ethical principles in their personal and professional lives.
Simply put, empathy is the ability to understand and share the emotions of others. Part of this is in our DNA, and part of this takes effort. That effprt part is where so mamy fall short
There are three types of empathy, firstnof which is cognitive empathy; which is being able to understand a persons perspective and emotions. Then there is emotional empathy, which allows us to create a deeper emotional bond by feeling what another person is experiencing. Lastly is compassionate empathy which is all about action; doing things to support someones emotional needs. If these three areas of empathy are nurtured we can more easily resolve conflict by considering others emotions, we can build stronger relationships based on understanding and trust, and we can communicate with kindness and clarity. Those with a lower EQ may find it difficult to not only recognize or respond to others’ emotions appropriately, but also can lead to misunderstandings, poor communication, and at times unethical behavior.
So, why does it feel like Republicans, or just those who voted for trump don’t have empathy or integrity? On the surface we can all make some assessments, but if we go a little deeper, there are some very specific behavioral, historical and cultural influences at play.
On a broad scale, Liberals tend to have a more universal sense of empathy. We feel compassion for marginalized groups like the LGBTQ+ community, non white people, refugees, the homeless, or historically oppressed communities. Conservatives often focus empathy on those things close to them such as family, community, or nation—prioritizing people they see as part of their inner circle, or like them. This fundamental difference shows conservatives may not lack empathy entirely but they are more “selective” with where they apply it. Some might say bigoted, or racist, but for now we will go with selective. They are focused on ‘me’ and ‘my close group’, and do not care about the broader idea of humanity and how things affect the masses. Generally, they feel superior to these marginalized groups and therefore keep a clear distinction between themselves and the “others“.
So yes, on a very basic level, they are innately selfish, which dictates their ability to be empathetic. Historically we know Republicans emphasize personal responsibility, self-sufficiency, and limited government intervention (which seems like a total crock at this point). This worldview though can sometimes lead to policies that seem less compassionate such as opposing social safety nets or universal healthcare because they believe individuals, rather than the government, should provide for themselves. They believe policies like welfare or affirmative action are unfair and enable dependency, even if they help vulnerable populations. This very concept shows a complete lack of acknowledgement of historical systemic inequality. Many republicans, majority white, prefer to not educate themselves, or reflect back on our very complicated and cruel history. Whities have a hard time dealing with shame, so they dont. Majority of social safety net programs that exist in this country were put in place in order to help marginalized groups who systemically have had a far more difficult time gaining the same amount of success or comfort as an average white person. Whether we discuss corruption and racism in real estate over the last 200+ years, lack of access to higher education, problematic hiring processies from majority white business owners, etc.. the list is truly endless. These systemic issues have give white people a leg up since the dawn of this country.
Republicans choice to choose when to apply empathy aligns perfectly with their desire to remain above or superior to those marginalized groups. This is not rocket science, this is a very obvious action to continue to suppress. Empathy is an action of love, something republicans know very little about.
So why is this?
Fox news, among other more conservative media platforms tend to frame social issues much differently, typically emphasizing personal failure over systemic barriers. To them, poverty is a result of bad choices rather than structural inequality. Immigrants may be framed as a burden rather than people in need of help. Crime is emphasized, leading to fear-based responses rather than rehabilitation-focused policies proven to be successful in other first world countries. Fear mongering isnt just a hot button phrase, its is their sharpest tool in the tool bag. When people constantly consume media that downplays systemic struggles, it only reinforces a lower sense of empathy for those they consider outside their immediate community.
More than ever before, Conservatives hold party loyalty over moral consistency. Many Republican politicians prioritize winning elections and maintaining power over sticking to ethical standards. Lets be honest, this isnt completely a republican ideal, plenty of democrats function this way as well, and those are the same democrats that I would consider as having much lower EQ than many of us. By compromising their morality, they show their true colors as hypocrites on the grandest stage. They will defend or excuse unethical behavior from party leaders (ignoring Donald Trump's legal and ethical controversies). They will shift their positions to align with the party rather than their stated principles (deficit concerns disappearing when Republicans are in power). And they will support misinformation if it benefits their political agenda (election denialism). This creates a perception that power and partisanship matter more than honesty and accountability.
The real alarming and almost comical aspect of this is that many Republicans present themselves on a moral highground as defenders of traditional family values, Christian morals, and patriotism. The real issue though is that those who are often the loudest against an issue, may be over compensating. For example, the numerous Anti-LGBTQ+ politicians being exposed for engaging in same-sex relationships (Larry Craig, a staunchly anti-gay Republican senator caught in a same-sex scandal). Or just the common knowledge that the famous gay app Grindr explodes in whatever city the Republican national convention is being held in. This is not a coinsidence, self hate is a very real and dangerous thing. These are the same pro life cronies who have had mistresses receive the abortion healthcare they try to deny from others. These are the same people preaching fiscal responsibility, and yet adding to the national debt in extraordinary numbers with enormous tax cuts for the wealthy.
When politicians set moral standards for others but fail to adhere themselves, it creates a true credibility crisis and erodes the very notion of integrity.
Part of the human existence is trying to understand why we are here, what is our purpose, or do we truly not have one? Who made us and the stars and solar systems above us? How do we make sense of it all? Every person that has lived into atleast young adulthood has asked these questions in some form or fashion. To be human is to question why!?
This unknown has been the foundation for every major religion and many of the wars that engulfed the world for thousands of years. Men believing it is their purpose to conquer, to build, to rule over. When we are desperate for an answer, for a purpose, we are also much more likely to fall for a false narrative that fills in those large gaps in our existence. Religion becomes the answer to everything, even though it may have no real basis in reality.
One of the biggest criticisms of modern Republican leadership is their embracing of misinformation. As someone who believes in science, and the brilliant work scientist have done for hundreds of years, its hard to imagine denying it. We see every day with climate change the ability to ignore solid science. This is not because they cannot understand the science, but because the men at the top make far too much money from fossil fuels, which are a huge contributer to destroying the planet. Instead of taking accountability, they misinform. They feed a steady dose of misinformation, all wrapped around christianity, so that their constituents see climate change as a religious attack, rather than simple scientific fact.
Integrity requires commitment to truth, but when a political party consistently promotes misinformation for political gain, it signals a lack of ethical leadership. Republicans often demand harsh consequences for political opponents but ignore or downplay wrongdoing within their own ranks. Its calling for Hunter Bidens investigation while simaltaneously ignoring Jared Kushner’s $2 billion Saudi deal. Its criticizing Democrats' spending while running up deficits under Republican administrations. Its supporting the impeachment of Bill Clinton for lying about an affair but defending Trump despite his 34 felonies and rape conviction…Oh, and him and Elons 18 kids with 7 wives.
So do conservatives have Empathy and Integrity?
Empathy is showing love in action, standing for the marginalized. Integrity means applying the same moral and ethical standards to everyone no matter the circumstance or personal repercussions. Their selective use of both of these not only weakens their credibility, but makes integrity and empathy unattainable within their current party.
But we already knew this..
