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In other words, "might makes right".

It is more like "right makes might" -- The belief that people who act rightly will become stronger and therefore strength is a sign of moral rectitude.

Well, it's probably both, feeding one another.

This is how I read it as well. I'm doing well because I deserve it, other people are doing badly because they don't.

In this sense the title can be read as "Incompassionate people behave antisocially"

> I'm doing well because I deserve it

... and therefore I behave in unethical ways. It's not my fault, it's destiny.

It can’t be unethical if you’re being rewarded for it by the guy in the sky.

:-)

From my understanding of the scriptures, they're supposed to be ultimately punished...

Ideally, but the feedback loop is too long to have a positive effect in this world.

Plus, there are enough examples in those same scriptures of immediate feedback to reinforce the “I’m doing well now, thus I’m doing the right thing” mentality.

The danger of Calvinism.

If you don't believe that, then it leads to nihilismm, apathy or Marxism. The idea that there is or should be a link between effort and reward is fundamental to any functioning society. It's actually people who don't believe in the just world hypothesis who end up acting anti-socially, as history makes clear.

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