Empathy can be a dangerous thing. Because of empathy, a person may suspend core moral judgements because they identify so emotionally with someone’s situation that they even adopt that person’s rationale for what they might otherwise regard as transgressive behaviour. People have a tremendous capacity to rationalise justifications for whatever it is they may wish to do; and in those moments, it is crucial to have someone on hand who does NOT empathise with you, but who can advise you objectively.
Empathy and compassion have become disproportionately valued as virtues in recent years, displacing the virtues of wisdom, impartiality, and responsibility.
Beware when societies care but do not think.