THIS SECTION IS ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY

Altruism:
Altruism

Structures of kindness:
Care within the family
Respect for others' rights
Helping a neighbour
Mobilising help for others
Structuring of Charity
Politicising kindness
Self-sacrifice for the good of others


This section considers the human behaviour of altruism.

Altruism is the human motivation to act for the benefit others, without regard to any possible personal benefit.

What are the benefits of Altruism to an individual:

• Satisfaction of seeing someone happy
  
• Acting on the instinct of natural human behaviour
  
• Satisfaction of simply "doing the right thing"
  
• Fertilisation of self-respect, nourishment of the soul
  
• The glow of selfless love
  
• Encouragement of altruism in others, with the increased possibility of future benefit from altruism of others

What are the benefits of Altruism to society:

• Improvement in the general welfare of members of society
  
• Reduction in the need for central legislation needed to cement the basis of the workings of society
  
• Directing support to actual needs of individuals, reducing the wasteful action of governing groups to provide for perceived needs of governed groups

Examples of Altruism:

• Donation to overseas charities in times of natural disaster
  
• Visiting a relative or friend in hospital
  
• Sharing company with an ill, isolated or elderly person
  
• Helping someone who is disadvantaged
  
• Sharing fun experiences

Examples of Altruism in history:

• In the 1960s, Martin Luther King risking his life to help improve the rights of blacks in the US
  
• During the last half of the 1900s, Mother Theresa who devoted her life tending the poor and sick in India
  
• In the current decade, Bill Gates has donated billions of dollars and is about to spend the majority of his time helping fight disease in third world countries