I don't know what the problem is. Is it a lack of empathy? Is it willingness to swallow the bait surrounding conspiracy theories? I

I think it's education, so many of us are now "educated ", this makes us confident idiots, a superb pinnacle of that example might be Linus Pauling and vitamin C for example.

If my hypothesis is correct, more education wont help.

Empathy is always lacking, just have to look at the refugee debate, its not new. Jews were turned away when Hitler sent them overseas, telling other countries to take then or he'd start killing them,

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/us-government-turned-away-thousands-jewish-refugees-fearing-they-were-nazi-spies-180957324/

Japense interment camps in the US in WW2, slavery, endless wars prosecuted on other countries and participants lionised, it's part of our makeup that's difficult for most people to overcome,. I'd posit they don't want to overcome it. . Then there's the whole treatment of native peoples all over the world. US, Australia, Sweden, New Zealand, Russia and on and on.

The one thing that unites Demorcats and Republicans ? disdain for the homeless, again a lack of empathy.