This can be related to the possession of material items, dominance, and power, pushing them to wish for more. Greedy individuals show a tendency to keep things for themselves. How would psychology influence selfishness? Greediness leads to selfishness. Indeed, Ayn Rand explains in her book the virtue of Selfishness, the concept that “the ultimate moral value, for each human individual, is his or her wellbeing.” This strengthens the belief that selfishness is a virtue leading individuals to protect themselves. Although it may sound completely contrary to altruism, psychology says that these two concepts actually support one another. However, this is natural because humans tend to look after themselves first (e.g., survival). Is selfishness the natural human behavior?Īs the word suggests, selfishness is the need to serve “self” without considering others first. Therefore, sacrificial serving is the act of giving without claiming back any “payment.” However, this fact is very well connected with the feeling of fear and religious beliefs in which the act of giving can be translated into the fulfillment of “moral obligations.” Moreover, the act of giving can also be interpreted in the sense of “devoting time” to something or someone (e.g., charitable organizations). Sympathy might reinforce the act of giving because feeling sorry for others and empathizing with others might enhance the sense of benevolence and the need to be helpful. Indeed, the wish to help others originates from kindness and giving without expecting a reward in return. So, how would psychology influence altruism? Through empathy, an individual can understand and recognize the need of others while “unselfishly” reacting to help those who need support. Therefore, the act of giving would leave the giver in a state of happiness while feeding a circle of kindness and happiness in which “kind people are happy and happy people are kind.” Indeed, behind any gesture and act, there is always a self-centered gratification by which the “altruistic” person receives a “selfish emotional” reward to please the ego. However, psychology debates that genuine altruism doesn’t exist in human behavior. The word altruism is derived from the Latin word alteri, which means “other people” or “somebody else.” Indeed, altruism can be defined as the moral attitude and practice of giving unconditionally while expecting no reward and caring about the happiness of others.
So, next time you will act as an “altruist” or “selfish” man/woman, think twice about the meaning of your gesture and reflect on whether being an altruist is in the end a form of implicit selfishness, with the return to make your soul feel better (e.g., the focus is directed on yourself and not the other). Today, I am here again with another provocative article to make you think about the correct usage of words and their deep psychological (and biological) meaning. Is altruism really “scopeless” and “no-profit” or a healthy form of selfishness? Does altruism really exist, and can it even be pathologic? Is selfishness really so bad? When a colleague helps you at work, is it because they really care about your problem, or do they expect something in return? How many times do we hear that billionaires devote a conspicuous amount of money to charity? Do you think it is genuine altruism or because they have so much money that they do not even know what to do with it? We have a long way to go before most people will understand that what they do for others is just as important to their well-being as what they do for themselves.” (William T. “The childhood of the human race is far from over.
0 kommentar(er)
