My experience is that for some, dehumanization is a direct response to having their capacity for empathy overwhelmed. It's a defense mechanism. I've seen it pla

My experience is that for some, dehumanization is a direct response to having their capacity for empathy overwhelmed. It's a defense mechanism. I've seen it play out in people who are confronted with the homelessness epidemic in San Francisco. With that in mind, making the whole world more empathetic sounds like one of the most destructive - if obviously well-intentioned - ideas I can think of.