Why Smart People Defend Insane Ideas: Gad Saad On "Suicidal Empathy" Dooming Society – Ask Dr. Drew

Elon Musk praised Dr. Gad Saad's latest book, saying "Western civilization is doomed, unless the core weakness of suicidal empathy is recognized and actions are taken that are hard but necessary for survival." Saad, who also authored "The Parasitic Mind," argues that an elite culture has miscalibrated its moral priorities — elevating victimhood, excusing criminals, and branding self-defense as toxic. He breaks down why intelligent, self-aware people double down on destructive ideas, how the "empathy module" gets hijacked, and why he believes civilization is in rapid decline unless the pattern is reversed.

Then, retired Canadian Armed Forces Master Warrant Officer Jeff Evely — a 20-year veteran who deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq — joins to discuss his deliberate stand against government overreach after being hit with a fine of more than $28,000 for (intentionally) walking on banned land, a case he intends to challenge in court. Evely also weighs in on the fight over pediatric gender medicine and the politics now driving healthcare decisions for children.

LINKS & SOURCES

@GadSaad Ph.D. is a scholar at the Declaration of Independence Center for the Study of American Freedom at the University of Mississippi. He is the author of "Suicidal EmpathyDying to be Kind," as well as "The Parasitic Mind" and "The Saad Truth About Happiness." Follow at

Master Warrant Officer (Ret'd) Jeff Evely is a retired veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, born and raised in Coxheath, Nova Scotia. He enlisted in 2001 as an electronic communications specialist and served for 20 years, deploying to Afghanistan (2009) and Iraq (2019), and serving with NORAD (20102014). In 2025, he ran as a federal candidate for the People's Party of Canada. Follow at

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Dr. Drew is a boardcertified physician with over 35 years of national radio shows, NYT bestselling books, and countless TV shows bearing his name. He's known for Celebrity Rehab (VH1), Teen Mom OG (MTV), The Masked Singer (FOX), multiple hit podcasts, and the iconic Loveline radio show with Adam Carolla. Dr. Drew Pinsky received his undergraduate degree from Amherst College and his M.D. from the University of Southern California, School of Medicine. Read more at