The best way to switch off your empathy is to focus on ivory-tower abstractions and lose sight of human relationships. Look at every atrocity committed by any philosophical branch. Religious people point at the secular ones, non-religious people point at the religious ones, but notice the one thing they all have in common. It's "the state", "god", "society", rather than the suffering of their victims. Even Timothy McVeigh and the Unabomber were into pretentious manifestos.

Careful with statements like that. Before long you'll have people tearing down universities and burning books.

The issue I have is pointing the finger at a larger group and then saying "them." and then pointing at some foul person and saying in effect, "see they're all like foul guy!" Anytime you *lose sight* of the individuals, start making lumpen groups of people and then start to label the group, bad things start to happen. The trouble is you use the same tactic in your diatribe, even though it's not necessary, because the basic thought about "eye contact* is sound, and taking it down to personal relations level is brilliant. Good stuff, preach on Brother Matt. ;P