Gad Saad

Date: 2026-05-13 | Duration: 2h 36m

Episode Overview

Gad Saad joins Joe Rogan to discuss his latest book, *Suicidal Empathy*, and how it expands on the ideas from his previous work, *The Parasitic Mind*. Saad explains that *The Parasitic Mind* focused on the hijacking of the cognitive system, while *Suicidal Empathy* delves into the manipulation of the affective, or emotional, system. He illustrates this with the "wood cricket" analogy, where a parasite compels the insect to commit suicide, mirroring how certain ideas can override human survival instincts and lead to destructive empathy. Saad emphasizes that while empathy is a crucial virtue, its excess or misapplication can become problematic, citing examples of individuals exhibiting extreme, illogical empathy towards perpetrators. The conversation then shifts to geopolitical issues, particularly the conflict in the Middle East and the concept of "cultural theory of mind." Saad, drawing from his Lebanese Jewish background, shares harrowing personal stories of his family's experiences during the Lebanese Civil War, including their kidnapping by Abu Nidal's group. This leads to a discussion on the role of cultural values and the historical context of Islam, with Saad arguing that elements within the religion are inherently expansionist and can be antithetical to Western liberal values. Joe and Gad debate the extent to which U.S. foreign policy has influenced the current state of affairs in countries like Iran and Libya, and the prevalence of anti-Israel sentiment, which Saad posits often has roots in broader anti-Semitism. Saad also touches on the demographic changes in Western societies and their potential impact on future societal values and freedoms.

About Gad Saad

Gad Saad is an author and commentator known for his books The Parasitic Mind and Suicidal Empathy, which explore how ideological systems can hijack human cognition and emotion. Drawing from his Lebanese Jewish background and family's experiences during the Lebanese Civil War, Saad brings personal perspective to his discussions on geopolitics, cultural values, and the Middle East conflict. He examines how excess empathy can become destructive and analyzes the intersection of ideology, culture, and Western liberal values.

Key Moments

0:00:18 – Gad Saad's New Book: Suicidal Empathy
0:01:09 – Suicidal Empathy Defined with Examples
0:02:20 – Gad Saad's US Green Card & American Identity
0:03:19 – Hijacking Cognitive and Affective Systems
0:04:46 – The Wood Cricket Analogy for Suicidal Empathy
0:06:28 – Empathy: A Virtue Misused as Suicidal Empathy
0:08:04 – Logical vs. Ideological Empathy in Criminal Justice
0:09:27 – Blank Slate Felons and Social Constructivism
0:11:18 – Examples of Suicidal Empathy Towards Rapists
0:13:15 – Cultural Relativism and Open Borders
0:15:33 – Open Discussion on Islam and Western Values
0:17:39 – Queers for Palestine and Suicidal Empathy
0:21:49 – Cultural Theory of Mind and Western Values
0:23:18 – Gad Saad's Lebanese Jewish Background and Civil War Experience
0:29:14 – Differences Between Religions and Proselytization
0:30:59 – Critiques of Islam and the Term 'Islamism'
0:34:51 – US-Israel Relations and Iranian Nuclear Ambitions
0:38:43 – Netanyahu's Role and the Justification for War
0:41:40 – Deontological vs. Consequentialist Ethics in Geopolitics
0:45:55 – US Intervention in Iran and Libya's Consequences
0:53:29 – US Responsibility in Foreign Interventions
0:56:04 – ISIS, US Policy, and the Blame Game
01:49:38 – University of Mississippi protecting faculty's free speech rights
01:50:32 – Influence of Edward Said's pro-Palestinian teachings at Columbia
01:52:33 – Gad Saad's belief that anti-Israel sentiment stems from Jew hatred
01:54:03 – Joe Rogan's view on increased anti-Israel sentiment post-October 7th
01:55:16 – Debate on 'what aboutism' and selective moral outrage
01:59:10 – Joe highlights power disparity and devastation in Gaza-Israel conflict
02:01:30 – Former Mossad director's explanation of intelligence failure regarding Oct 7th
02:02:31 – Discussion of Netanyahu's alleged strategy of funding Hamas
02:03:56 – Description of Gaza's widespread destruction from aerial footage
02:04:50 – Gad's perspective on historical land ownership and moving past conflicts
02:07:17 – Hamas charter's stated goal of eradicating all Jews
02:08:50 – Comparison of Gaza's destruction to Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings
02:14:10 – Story of Sinwar, Hamas architect, saved by Israeli doctors, then orchestrating Oct 7th
02:17:55 – Bill Clinton's view on Yasser Arafat rejecting a two-state solution
02:20:11 – Discussion of diversity and Muslim representation in Israeli society
02:27:07 – Pew Survey findings on high anti-Jewish sentiment in Middle Eastern countries
02:30:39 – Gad Saad's personal experience with death threats at Concordia University
02:34:37 – Appreciation for Donald Trump's unconventional and decisive leadership style
02:35:21 – Gad's prediction of societal conflict based on Muslim population percentage
1:00:25 – US Foreign Policy and Selfish Interests
1:03:02 – US Power vs. China's Influence
1:06:47 – Immigrants' Perspective on US Freedom
1:07:46 – Gad Saad's Support for Israel's Civilizational Values
1:09:37 – Safety of Middle Eastern Countries for Travel
1:11:48 – Modernity and Islam in Gulf Countries
1:13:20 – Cafeteria Islam and Religious Evolution
1:16:09 – US Meddling and Radical Islamic Organizations
1:18:25 – Historical Islamic Expansionism and Geopolitics
1:25:19 – Demographic Changes and Concerns in the US
1:26:24 – Endemic Antisemitism in Islamic Societies
1:27:06 – Shark Attack Conspiracy Theory in Egypt
1:30:10 – Psychological Theories of Antisemitism
1:31:42 – Market Dominant Minorities and Envy
1:33:10 – Jewish Cultural Emphasis on Excellence
1:35:12 – Thomas Sowell's 'Fail' Theory on Antisemitism
1:36:26 – Asian vs. Jewish Success and Animus
1:37:46 – Influence of Jewish Lobby on US Policy
1:39:51 – Mamdani's Stance on Israel in NYC Mayoral Race
1:42:07 – Anti-Israel Sentiment Post-October 7th
1:42:25 – Double Standards in Lobby Group Criticism
1:44:55 – Foreign Funding and Influence in Universities

Transcript Excerpt

[00:00:01] Joe Rogan podcast, checking out. The Joe Rogan Experience. Train by day, Joe Rogan podcast by night, all day. Good to see you, sir. Oh, so good to see you. What's happening? How you been? Doing great. [00:00:18] Got big news. Big? I'll talk big, very big. Before I start with a... Okay. Drops. The book. Suicidal empathy. [00:00:27] The quote that we use all the time. That's right. Yeah, it is a good quote. And it is a very accurate. quote for the times, I like this for their carrying a sign, free the wolves, the lamb that's carrying. Well, I wanted the cover to be as evocative as the concept, right? Dying to be kind. [00:01:11] This is just, it's mean. Oh, see, I don't think that that suicidal empathy at all. I think that's signaling. I think that's signaling that he wishes that that man was successful and that he supports his endeavor. Fair enough. The second example, actually today Dave Rubin shared it with me. it was the one where a felon of color who had just been released ended up pushing, right? [00:01:38] And the previous person that he had been entangled with didn't want to, whatever, press charges because she didn't want another black man to be in prison. Oh, boy. So I hope to get into the book in a second. But the other big news is that this past year, I've been a visiting scholar at Old Miss, University of Mississippi. I had taken a two-year leave from my school in Montreal. [00:02:24] Do you get a green card or a visa? Yeah. So the previous two years that I did, it was a leave of absence. So I only have to get a TN visa. But now that we're moving, I applied for an EB-1A visa, which gets you a green card. They're called Extraordinary Visas. You have to pass certain criteria to them. You are extraordinary, aren't you? [00:02:45] And rather easy on the eyes. And so that went through, thank God. And so, yeah, so we're very excited. Congratulations. Yeah, yeah. So, and hopefully this will be a fast track to my inner spirit is American, but may...

More Episodes

Frequently asked about this episode

Who was the guest on Joe Rogan Experience #2497?

Gad Saad was the guest on JRE #2497. This page includes the episode overview, topics discussed, and related resources.

What topics were discussed on JRE #2497?

On Joe Rogan Experience #2497 with Gad Saad, topics include Gad Saad's New Book: Suicidal Empathy, Suicidal Empathy Defined with Examples, Gad Saad's US Green Card & American Identity, and Hijacking Cognitive and Affective Systems.

Where can I read the transcript for JRE #2497?

The full searchable transcript for Joe Rogan Experience #2497 with Gad Saad is available on this page, along with key topics and timestamps.