[DemolitionRed]

I can't think of an example of 'true altruism' but would be interested to know what other people think.

[Kizzy]

Well if the person being altruistic was to speculate about it it would cease to be an altruistic act wouldn't it?...

[DemolitionRed]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

Well if the person being altruistic was to speculate about it it would cease to be an altruistic act wouldn't it?...

exactly!

[JoshBB]

personally i feel like i always consider the emotions and effects my actions will have on other people,

but is that not selfish because my motivations for doing so are 'not wanting to see other people hurt'?

[Kizzy]

Doesn't mean it doesn't happen though... It's like 'do bears **** in the woods?' You don't see it but you know it happens

[Niamh.]

What about anyone who goes to help Ebola cases, that's surely selfless?

[Crimson Dynamo]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

What about anyone who goes to help Ebola cases, that's surely selfless?

i doubt it

I would imagine they cant wait to tell people what they do to get all the plaudits

Like people who run marathons and drone on and on about it

[Kyle]

I think honestly though we are just dismantling the semantics of the word too much into something so literal it's impossible to define if you include personal satisfaction of doing the right thing.

I know this quote is off Wikipedia but it sums up altruism as far as I have used it in the past and now I think most people see it.

"Altruism in biological organisms can be defined as an individual performing an action which is at a cost to themselves (e.g., pleasure and quality of life, time, probability of survival or reproduction), but benefits, either directly or indirectly, another third-party individual, without the expectation of reciprocity or compensation for that action."

So as far as I'm concerned just giving your well earned money, that you saved for ages because you wanted to take a nice holiday with, to someone who has fallen on hard times recently to have a holiday themselves qualifies as altruism.

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Kyle

I think honestly though we are just dismantling the semantics of the word too much into something so literal it's impossible to define if you include personal satisfaction of doing the right thing.

I know this quote is off Wikipedia but it sums up altruism as far as I have used it in the past and now I think most people see it.

"Altruism in biological organisms can be defined as an individual performing an action which is at a cost to themselves (e.g., pleasure and quality of life, time, probability of survival or reproduction), but benefits, either directly or indirectly, another third-party individual, without the expectation of reciprocity or compensation for that action."

So as far as I'm concerned just giving your well earned money, that you saved for ages because you wanted to take a nice holiday with, to someone who has fallen on hard times recently to have a holiday themselves qualifies as altruism.

This exactly.

[Kizzy]

I'd say that's more of a vocation, if you're in the caring profession you might do that, I thought altruistic acts were done anonymously?

[Niamh.]

If it was anonymous how could anyone ever prove it exists? Is it not just a selfless act then?

[Mokka]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

If it was anonymous how could anyone ever prove it exists? Is it not just a selfless act then?

It doesn't have to be anonymous, just self-less which also means not self serving. Not getting paid, and not seeking recognition.

Mother Therasa anyone?

Also I have met many people who are, but If I named them, you wouldn't be able to identify them because the have never come into notoriety for their deeds

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Mokkajava

It doesn't have to be anonymous, just self-less which also means not self serving. Not getting paid, and not seeking recognition.

Mother Therasa anyone?

Also I have met many people who are, but If I named them, you wouldn't be able to identify them because the have never come into notoriety for their deeds

I agree Mokka - If Mother Theresa wasn't altruistic then who was?

[kirklancaster]

Mother Theresa. Oskar Schindler. Violette Szabo.

[Kyle]

Ellen Ripley risked her own life to go back and save the little girl Newt.

Checkmate Demolition Red.

[Niamh.]

Well I for one think anyone from this part of the world who goes to Liberia to help fight Ebola is selfless

[susie q]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Well I for one think anyone from this part of the world who goes to Liberia to help fight Ebola is selfless

I agree

[Kizzy]

No not Mother Theresa, she was a nun it's sort of expected for them to be nice

[Mokka]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

No not Mother Theresa, she was a nun it's sort of expected for them to be nice

And yet she went above and beyond what any other nun would do... And at first without the support of here church.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Mokkajava

And yet she went above and beyond what any other nun would do... And at first without the support of here church.

She became a nun to devote her life to god and being selfless is part of the job description to me is all.

[Kyle]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

She became a nun to devote her life to god and being selfless is part of the job description to me is all.

She wants a deeper relationship with the big man.

SELFISH

she's out.

Next..

[kirklancaster]

Originally Posted by Mokkajava

And yet she went above and beyond what any other nun would do... And at first without the support of here church.

Exactly Mokka. As a 'nun' she can 'devote her life to god' from within the strict confines of a cell in a convent without ever helping any other human. She devoted her entire life to being selfless and helping others which to me is 'altruism'.

[AnnieK]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

Exactly Mokka. As a 'nun' she can 'devote her life to god' from within the strict confines of a cell in a convent without ever helping any other human. She devoted her entire life to being selfless and helping others which to me is 'altruism'.

Mmmm...I'm not too sure about mother Teresa. There are a lot of articles about dubious financing....a lot of monies donated to her charities never made itto the poor. There is a train of thought that she felt that the poor truly believed in the passion of Christ. In her words..."I think it is very beautiful for the poor to accept their lot, to share it with the passion of Christ. I think the world is being much helped by the suffering of the poor people". That doesn't sound to me the words of someone who is truly altruistic.

[Niamh.]

Such a cynic Kizzy

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Niamh.

Such a cynic Kizzy

Not really niamh :/