Can’t Talk About Humans without Bringing Empathy Into the Conversation
Life is hard! Jobs are full of challenges, children are disrespectful, and everyday people can be inherently mischievous. However, even on the worst of days, we set aside our negative experiences to help those in need. Not only that, but we are quite proficient at identifying someone’s emotional state and matching it accordingly.
This is what’s commonly known as empathy, and according to several scientists, it’s what sets us apart from other intelligent life forms. Empathy has been a key driver for successful human evolution, and thanks to it, humans became social beings able to face adversity as a strong group rather than as weak individuals.
Are Modern People Less Empathetic?
According to surveys conducted decades ago, most of the general public described people as benevolent and trustworthy. However, current surveys state that most of the general public has turned cynical and expects the worst of people.
This is quite worrisome given the numerous disadvantages that come with cynicism (i.e., being unfit to sympathize, empathize, read people’s intentions, and having an overall state of hopelessness).
Can Cannabis Help Me Be More Empathetic?
For some demographics, cannabis may be the best candidate to turn a cynic into an empathetic individual. Research findings suggest that cannabis positively affects prosocial behaviors, empathy, fairness, and benevolence.
Specifically, acute THC consumption has been linked to:
- Dampened aggression
- Openness
- Peace
- Joy
- Wonder
- Spirituality
- Heightened sense of connection to the universe
Some researchers estimate that periodic cannabis use boosts an individual’s sociability by 68.4%, happiness by 16.1%, thinking profoundly by 31.4%, feeling pleasant by 20.9%, insight into others by 11.9%, and personal growth by 8.7%.
Thus, people prone to cynicism should consider cannabis-based medicines as an empathetic booster. If done correctly, we will secure an altruistic future for all current and future generations.
Vigil, J.M., Stith, S.S. & Chanel, T. Cannabis consumption and prosociality. Sci Rep 12, 8352 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-12202-8
