The Secret of altruism: Why do we help others?
It's a strange thing to help someone without a clear benefit for yourself. It would seem that evolution should have eliminated this behavior, because the strongest, the most selfish, survives. But no, people (and not only people, as it turns out) continue to share, save, and support.
Where does this aspiration come from? Is there some kind of self-sacrifice program sewn into us? Or is everything more complicated, and every good deed hides a cunning calculation, even if it is unconscious? Let's try to figure out what motivates this seemingly illogical behavior.
Kindred Spirits and genetic selfishness
There is an opinion that helping your loved ones is, in fact, taking care of your own genes. By helping a brother, sister, or children, a person indirectly contributes to the survival of their genetic material. It sounds cynical, but from the point of view of biology, it is quite an explanation. After all, the genes responsible for this behavior are more likely to be passed on.
Richard Dawkins, the one who wrote about the "selfish gene," was just talking about it. They say that altruism at the individual level can be a manifestation of selfishness at the gene level. So by helping our nephew, we may just be following an ancient genetic instruction. It seems like he did good, and helped the genes.
Social connections and benefits of cooperation
Another view of altruism is related to the social nature of man. We live in a society, and the ability to cooperate and build trusting relationships is the key to the success of the entire group. If you help your neighbor today, you can count on his help tomorrow. This is called reciprocal altruism – "you to me, I to you."
This behavior strengthens social ties, creates an atmosphere of trust and mutual assistance. It's easier to survive in a group where everyone helps each other than in a pack of selfish loners. It's not just genes anymore, but psychology and culture are involved. Plus, the reputation of being a "good guy" can be beneficial in itself. Such people are more often approached and trusted. There are some advantages here:
- Building trust in the community.
- Creation of a mutual assistance network.
- Enhance your personal reputation.
In general, helping others can be beneficial in the long run, even if there is no immediate return.
Empathy and the pure pleasure of helping
But what if it's not just about genes and benefits? What if we just... enjoy helping? Scientists studying the brain have found that good deeds activate pleasure centers. The feeling of satisfaction when you have done something good is not just a figure of speech, but a very real biochemical reaction.
Empathy, the ability to empathize, to feel someone else's pain or joy, also plays a huge role. Seeing the suffering of another person can make us feel uncomfortable, and help is a way to get rid of this unpleasant feeling. And, of course, a sincere desire to make the world a little better – this also happens, oddly enough. Maybe this is real, "pure" altruism?
The mystery remains
, so why are we helping? There doesn't seem to be a definite answer. Most likely, it's a complex cocktail of genetic predisposition, social strategies, empathy, and even a simple human desire to do good. One thing is for sure: altruism is an integral part of our nature, making us who we are.
And even though scientists are arguing about its roots, the very fact of the existence of selfless help inspires some optimism. So, not everything in this world boils down to the struggle for survival and personal gain. Sometimes it's more important to lend a helping hand, just because you can. 1Win platform offers a wide range of sports betting options, including pre-match and live betting, as well as live streaming sports and an online casino featuring a variety of games from top software providers. The 1win promo code rewards new players with a welcome bonus 500% up to $1025 on your first four deposits. 1win is licensed and regulated by the government of Curacao, which ensures that the platform operates fairly and transparently.