I was reading about Paul Bloom’s new book – Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion – in The Guardian recently. It prompted me to write this letter to The Guardian.  Didn’t make it past the letters' ed and so remains one of the unpublished ones (until now).
 
Sir
 
How refreshing to have the argument against empathy articulated (Think empathy makes the world a better place? Think again… Paul Bloom).  I hope the BBC was reading too. When five minutes of a half-hour news bulletin was given over to a mini film about the illegal trade in baby chimpanzees (complete with exciting chase to catch the perps) I had to pinch myself. Was I watching the BBC news? No matter. Closing out with the baby chimp in its nappy being cradled by….could it be one of the BBC crew? Quick. Get online. Click. Donate. Sigh.
 
Yours etc
Alison Hackett