Do you think nature is right in Its decisions? nature was never perfect, which does not prevent it from making bad decisions in its evolutionary process. I think empathy was one of those bad decisions.
If life is meaningless in the grand scheme of things, then why empathy? there's no point in worrying about whether your actions are good or bad for others if in the end everything you've done won't matter for you or anyone. Everything will die anyway.
any kind of suffering is pointless, so based on this premise, I don't see any reason to suffer for others, the only "meaning" of life is to seek as much pleasure as possible until death.
Life being meaningless doesn't mean you shouldn't respect sentience.
I mean I understand empathy is just chemicals in the brain (I don't believe in objective morality, objective values either)
but if you had a gun pointed to my head and I started crying and begging for my life,
wouldn't you feel sorry for me? If you kill me for self-defense or for survival then I understand.
But if you do it because I have a 4k tv that you also want, then you're a fucking retard.
I'm literally just you with different memories. I am your brother - clone.
My consciousness is the same as yours. The ouch in my head is the same as the ouch in your head.
The loneliness, melancholy and despair in my head is the same as the loneliness, melancholy and despair in your head.
I want to feel comfortable and safe, just like you do. So why would you choose not to value me?
You'd have somehow to be indifferent to me, which can only happen if you think I did you wrong
or if you think the only feelings that matter are your own (you don't feel empathy)
I'm not saying social cohesion is always a win . win for every body, sometimes
cheating the system and ripping people off may be your only way to thrive or survive,
but that's not the case most of the time. We can find a way to get along and live peacefully together.
If everyone in society was a psychopath, they would still understand intellectually
that their chances of survival are higher if they work together, and civilization would still exist, with or without empathy,
because unless you're god you'll never be able to survive and thrive on your own.
That's why you need society, you can't make your own pleasure.
Someone has to grow the food the gives you pleasure, manufacture your 4k tv and son on and so forth.
To me not hurting people is also part of the pleasure I'm chasing before death.
It makes me happy if you're happy :)
So my empathy is selfish,
and that's okay,
It's a productive selfishness.