The opposite of empathy

Lately I have been thinking about the importance of empathy in persuasive writing—empathy for the reader. This quotation of the day, courtesy of Bryan Garner, describes a lack of empathy:

“No one can write decently who is distrustful of the reader’s intelligence.” William Strunk, Jr. & E.B. White, The Elements of Style 84 (3d ed. 1979).

I would add “persuasively” to “decently.”