Question

repeated exposure to something can deaden our sensitivity to it. according to doctors, when a person is exposed to continuous light or sound, they begin to block it out. why shouldnt the same thing happen with empathy? when we constantly see stories that tug at our heartstrings and stir our empathy toward suffering, surely it must gradually wear away at our capacity to feel that kind of compassion. this could even be a means of self - protection; feeling such human pain is unpleasant, so our brain will block it out after too many repeated exposures. imagine how you might feel when you first put on an itchy sweater versus how you would feel several hours after wearing it. what once caused discomfort no longer elicits any reaction. how strong is the authors argument that tuning out painful news is necessary to avoid becoming desensitized to tragedy around the world? somewhat strong—the author provides firsthand accounts to support the claim. strong—the author provides sound evidence from research studies and experts to support the claim. weak—the author has some but not enough research - based data to support the argument. very weak—the author only provides opinions to support the claim. show hint

Explanation:

The author uses doctors' views on sensory blocking (light/sound) and a sweater - discomfort analogy. But there's no research - based data (like psychological studies on empathy desensitization rates) to strongly back the claim. Just analogies and general doctor statements aren't enough for a strong argument.

Answer:

Weak—the author has some but not enough research - based data to support the argument.