Both Genuine And Feigned Compassion Serve As Sound Social Strategies

Today, someone said:

"The only proper response to an emotional appeal is no response at all. Anyone resorting to that clearly doesn't have a valid logical argument. They're just trying to manipulate you."

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Some replied to that by saying:

"Perhaps, if you are a Vulcan. Humans, however, have emotions, and smart humans acknowledge they are a part of any equation. Any logical reasoning should include the very human emotions compassion and empathy. Being heartless is not a virtue."
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In reply, someone else asked:

"are more psychopaths or more emotional people in jail for murder?"
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My thoughts about this:

The initial proposition lacks needed context.

There are some context where I'd agree.

There are others where I'd disagree. 

But let's consider the replies which have landed on the table thus far. 

Psychopaths are motivated by intense emotions.

Non-Psychopaths enter a temporarily psychopathic state when they commit violent crimes.

Meanwhile,
if we, as individuals,
or as a society,
should notice that people are motivated by emotions.

If we refuse to factor that in to how we deal with humans and human systems,
then we're going to fail to understand, anticipate, navigate, and manage outcomes.

That's how most sociopaths, psychopaths, clinical narcissists, etc
keep sabotaging their own lives.
They feel like they shouldn't care how other people feel.
So then they make choices based on not caring other people feel.
And then that goes very badly for them.
And then they blame others for their own lack of sound social strategy.

Mind you, I'm actually not passing any moral judgement on those people.

Major personality disorders
are the manifestation of
specific types of brain impairments. 
[Example linked here]
[Further examples and explanations linked here]

[Image is from a study examining the differences in ways a psychopaths processes moral concerns]

It makes no sense to insult anyone so impaired for lack of moral conscience.
It would be like insulting a wolf for that same limit.
They didn't choose to be the creature they are.

However,
people with Major Personality Disorders 
 are often screwing themselves over
by refusing to at least ~act like they care~ about how their choices effect others.

Granted, everyone should strive to be a successful evaluator
of when someone is or isn't trying to selfishly manipulate us.

And yes. It does make sense to set limits; to pick and choose carefully when we will refuse to cater to someone's emotions. 

But that's a more nuanced discussion; where we could talk about where to draw the line.

Consider:

If someone says "You shouldn't emotionally abuse anyone", ...
they're appealing primarily to the emotion of compassion.
But they're also making a logical case,

Damaging other humans
results in:
social and societal systems which are less safe and less durable for everyone;
even less safe and less durable for abusers.

So then it just makes good logical sense
in many situations,
to understand, care,
and/or (at least) ~act like we care~
about other people's emotional concerns.