“The fundamental weakness is empathy,” Musk recently told radio podcast host Joe Rogan. “There is a bug, which is the empathy response.”
As Musk has established himself as at least the second most powerful person in an administration seeking a wholesale remaking of institutions, rules and norms, what he said matters, because it encapsulates a political plan. What the Project 2025 report set out in over 900 turgid pages, Musk’s remark captures in a simple pithy mantra for the social media age.
Not all weaknesses make us weak; and not all weakness is to be feared, mocked, ridiculed, or scorned. Admitting weakness can provide you with help from others; admitting weakness can free you from unrealistic expectations you’ve placed upon yourself; and being weak is a natural state of affairs in reality, in comparison to the titanic forces of nature under which we all strive to thrive.
Weak cannot survive.
Empathy is not weak. The weak cannot be empathetic, because experiencing the pain of others is painful!! Cowards fear having empathy and will do anything to maim their own capacity for empathy.
“Weak” regularly survives, and thrives. Do you expect everyone on Earth to always be “strong” at all times in all situations? Are all moments of weakness to be shamed and scorned, even if they follow many days, weeks, or months of strength?