On my article Altruism, Selfishness, or Both? the commenter named Kitty said:
This article is in response to the above comment.
I think altruism is a tendency of deriving emotional pleasure for oneself by enabling the other’s wellbeing.
When someone derives emotional pleasure by helping others, he is being altruist. It is true that such acts of altruism are also, in a way, self-directed (to get emotional pleasure for oneself); but still I think it’s wrong to put it in the same broad category of egoism/selfishness.
Egoism is when a person is only concerned with his pleasures without any regard for the effects of his actions on others’ wellbeing. As against this, altruism is when one finds pleasure acting for others’ wellbeing. And we can’t deny the existence of both the tendencies; nor that they are vastly distinct from each-other. When someone helps an elderly person cross the road, it is an act of altruism; because he is accepting some discomfort (he will be late for where he is going) for the other’s wellbeing. To regard this act as the same as the act of selfishness – because he did it to feel good for himself – is not fair. It is selfishness, but of a very subtle kind; and certainly distinct enough to not be put under the same broad label of “selfishness”.
I read this on Harmanjit’s blog —
Also, I liked very much this article on NYTimes: Is Pure Altruism Possible? (Alternative link)
Altruism is not to be followed as a rule, of course. That would be “immoral” to the self. I think that is what is implied in the above linked NYTimes article where it says: The kind of altruism we ought to encourage is satisfying to those who practice it. The balance of altruism and selfishness is vital. While egoism is easy, it is important to understand that healthy coexistence in a societal form is only possible when people show concern for communal (i.e. other people’s) wellbeing too, and not just individual wellbeing. For collective welbeing is essentially one’s own welbeing for the long run.
Modernity seems to miss this point. I see that people of the earlier generations are generally more altruistic than today’s generation. The reason, I think, lies in too much emphasis on modern, individualistic approach, and the fallacious categorization of all human motives under the single label of “selfishness”. Because when that happens, everybody gets a free pass to pursue their own pleasures without regard for others’ wellbeing. The result is that collective emotional wellbeing in a community or a society decreases.
Altruism is usually defined as “putting the interest of others ahead of your own.” Therefore, I believe that, by this definition, altruism is not moral. Nor is it really possible, because people either help others because doing so truly helps them feel good about their own “self”, (example: someone who works in a soup kitchen to feed the homeless), or they help others in an effort to gain more power, authority, and control over their vital interests (example: a wealthy philanthropist giving large donations to his pet causes).
This article is in response to the above comment.
I think altruism is a tendency of deriving emotional pleasure for oneself by enabling the other’s wellbeing.
When someone derives emotional pleasure by helping others, he is being altruist. It is true that such acts of altruism are also, in a way, self-directed (to get emotional pleasure for oneself); but still I think it’s wrong to put it in the same broad category of egoism/selfishness.
Egoism is when a person is only concerned with his pleasures without any regard for the effects of his actions on others’ wellbeing. As against this, altruism is when one finds pleasure acting for others’ wellbeing. And we can’t deny the existence of both the tendencies; nor that they are vastly distinct from each-other. When someone helps an elderly person cross the road, it is an act of altruism; because he is accepting some discomfort (he will be late for where he is going) for the other’s wellbeing. To regard this act as the same as the act of selfishness – because he did it to feel good for himself – is not fair. It is selfishness, but of a very subtle kind; and certainly distinct enough to not be put under the same broad label of “selfishness”.
I read this on Harmanjit’s blog —
The pleasures of altruism have to be separated from the selfish pleasures, because if any pleasant feeling in the mind is considered the symptom of “look, what a self-directed man”, then the very discussion is meaningless.
Let’s say a man dies for his community, or a mother suffers from stress while bringing up her child, that suffering co-exists with the emotional payoff of doing something worthwhile, and that co-existence of suffering, stress or discomfort while pursuing something meaningful is, I think, the hallmark of altruism.
The selfish pleasures do not have suffering, stress and discomfort in that sense and they also do not have the emotional satisfaction therefore.
Also, I liked very much this article on NYTimes: Is Pure Altruism Possible? (Alternative link)
Altruism is not to be followed as a rule, of course. That would be “immoral” to the self. I think that is what is implied in the above linked NYTimes article where it says: The kind of altruism we ought to encourage is satisfying to those who practice it. The balance of altruism and selfishness is vital. While egoism is easy, it is important to understand that healthy coexistence in a societal form is only possible when people show concern for communal (i.e. other people’s) wellbeing too, and not just individual wellbeing. For collective welbeing is essentially one’s own welbeing for the long run.
Modernity seems to miss this point. I see that people of the earlier generations are generally more altruistic than today’s generation. The reason, I think, lies in too much emphasis on modern, individualistic approach, and the fallacious categorization of all human motives under the single label of “selfishness”. Because when that happens, everybody gets a free pass to pursue their own pleasures without regard for others’ wellbeing. The result is that collective emotional wellbeing in a community or a society decreases.
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