Altruism: Doing selfless good things to help others simply because it’s the right thing to do. Many schools of thought hold that altruism does not exist—there is no such thing. Many Eastern religions embrace “karma,” the notion that one gets rewarded for doing good and punished for doing evil—kind of a cosmic balancing act. Some propose many life times are required to get it right. Western religions generally suggest we are all born evil, but can become doers of good by following the tenets of one’s particular sect. Rejection of Western religion generally condemns the worthless apostate to hell. So, doing good is for the purpose of saving one’s own ass. Evolutionary models say altruism simply evolved as a survival mechanism—those who did good things for others bought the needed reciprocation of other group members. While I don’t think any of these belief systems are totally wrong, I mostly don’t subscribe to any of them. I think good people do good things for other people without expectation of reward. I believe in altruism because it makes me feel better about the world in which I live. And, that carries its own reward…
Posted on: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 18:33:17 +0000