me_irl

Elon Musk literally said he thinks empathy is a weakness. So no, the greedy ghouls running our modern civilisation don't think they are empathic, and they have no desire to be. And a lot of poor temporarily-embarrassed billionaires emulates them in that regard.

No, I guarantee you some people don't think about those things at all, or are even actively hostile towards them as concepts.

And then there are people who only focus on one at the expense of the other, under the assumption that they're mutually exclusive.

Critical thinking must include critically questioning one's own thoughts and behaviors as well. That's the only way forward.

Question everything, especially the things you've always thought were true. People would be surprised if they realized just how many false ideas and urban legends they've been taught by people they thought were credible.

In my mind it's a very specific set of people who are wrong, and I do not have empathetic thoughts towards them.

yep, and if you are wrong, you lack empathy and critical thinking in their mind! and that's why you are wrong!

almost as if it's entirely self-serving and circular...

Not really, most people who are lacking Critical Thinking Skills, aren't aware of Critical Thinking Skills, and if they were aware of them, they'd say that they don't need those gay-ass liberal Critical Thinking Skills. They prefer to be told what to think.