This won't be like the posts I have done so far but perhaps I will have more like it in the future; I have a tendency to obsess about topics of current interest and writing about them helps me think them through.
The topic that has been on my mind lately is the ideology of altruism. If you aren't aware of what it is or of its application I'll summarize. The most accepted definition of altruism is the principle or practice of unselfish concern or devotion to the welfare of others (link: dictionary.com). In other words it's placing another person's needs before yourself. Now, I have no dispute with this definition. It is not wrong. But it is a bit like saying the ocean is a body of water. Sure the ocean is a body of water but that is a really simple definition. The ocean is obviously so much more than just a body of water; there is much more to it. The same goes for this accepted definition of altruism. There is so much more to it than just the practice of selflessness.
I should make the point to say that altruism, at its root, is not a bad concept. What could be wrong with being selfless and thinking of others? Well, nothing. But the problem isn't with the act but with its full application. Altruism actually requires more than just a single act of kindness. The moment you revert back to selfish behavior you are no longer an altruist you are simply someone who performed a good deed, but I suppose if you wanted to argue that you committed an altruistic act I couldn't argue in turn. But that doesn't mean that you are an altruist. The concept is an absolute that, as I stated, requires complete dispensation to its requirements by definition.
As I have read more on the subject I have seen many comment debates on the matter. Many seem to think that altruism is the foundation for a moral code; that if you are completely selfless you are ultimately right and that there could be no argument against you. I don't claim to be some great philosopher but I can definitely say that pure selflessness is a flawed idea and I would go even further to say that it is evil at its root.
Let's say that you are driving down a street and see a house on fire. You hear someone say that there is a child in the house. So you rush into the burning house knowing that you could be giving your life for the sake of this child's life. But you end up coming out unharmed and with the child. Two weeks later you see another house on fire (Its a bad month for electrical fires). This time you hear someone say that there is a fireman that went inside but hasn't come out. What would you do? More than likely most people wouldn't go in after the fireman unless they were one themselves. Why? Because there is value in that this individual in the burning house is a professional fire fighter. The child from two weeks before had no such value. And this, in my opinion, is one of two issues that make altruism impossible and ultimately "evil". Altruism requires that an individual place common value on everyone accept one's own self. An altruist considers one's self expendable for the sake of others or the greater good. But how can we do this when we all have specific individual values within a society? It seems wrong to say it but some people have greater value than others and I don't mean the value of their life but the value of what they have to offer. A doctor is going to have more value than a cook if you are injured. But a cook will have more value than a doctor if you are hungry. If you have absolutely no interest in art then an artist isn't going to be worth much to you. I would argue that these individual values are part of what makes a community grow and diversify. It's the product of a healthy society, not to be confused with the sub-topic of social equality.
Where the real evil of altruism rests is in the devaluing of one's self for the sake of a community. Self-sacrifice is truly a compassionate act but when it's expected, or even demanded, it somehow seems to lose its appeal. Altruism expects self-sacrifice. (Que the cheesy music for a family-sitcom's lesson thesis) If we devalue ourselves how can we expect to understand true value? And this is ultimately where, I believe, the evil rests. Altruism requires that everyone be personally "devalued". Rational selfishness is necessary for a community to prosper and grow and that is why I believe altruism is ultimately, not only impossible, but evil.
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