Famous altruists. How to find the ideal balance of altruistic and egoistic qualities in yourself

In the modern world, there is a stereotype that people have long forgotten what kindness and selfless help to others are. Everyone wants to benefit and is not ready to perform selfless acts.

But still, even in our difficult times, there are still people who are driven by an irresistible desire to help and please everyone, sometimes even to their detriment. This desire is called altruism.

An altruist is a person who is ready to give his love and kindness free of charge to everyone in this world.

Egoists and altruists are equally mistaken, for the goal of man is to serve world harmony.
Absalom Underwater

The main character traits of an altruist

Altruists usually have a very calm and gentle character. It is difficult to imagine a hot-tempered and harsh person who is able to put the interests of other people above his own.

Altruists also have innate modesty and do not like to talk a lot about themselves; they prefer to listen.

Altruists have a genuine interest in other people. They rejoice at other people's successes and are sad at other people's failures. They do not know what envy and self-interest are. In a word, they are absolute lovers of humanity.

Altruists can often be found in various charitable organizations. Since they are philanthropists, they take special care for the disadvantaged and needy people.

An altruist will give his last penny if he sees a beggar on the street asking for alms. At the same time, they experience enormous remorse if they still do not find an opportunity to help the disadvantaged.

Altruists are very honest people. They always keep their promises and do not waste their words. You shouldn’t expect betrayal and deception from such people.

Directions of altruism

A person may not exhibit altruistic character traits in all aspects of his life.

The main types of altruism are:

Altruism of parents

Most parents sacrifice their interests for the sake of the interests of their children.

Some parents, in their desire to raise a worthy person, go too far. They believe that they need to put their whole life on the altar of education.

Moral altruism

Such people strive to please society.

Generally accepted beliefs and behavior imposed by society encourage the altruist to commit highly moral acts.

Empathic altruism

These altruists completely devote themselves and their lives to some person.

They strive to earn trust and the right to friendship with him. Such altruists will always come to the rescue, will not leave you in trouble, you can rely on them.

Altruism from feelings of sympathy

These people devote themselves to another person for whom they feel sympathy or love.

Typically this type of altruism is observed in strong friendships.

Benefits of Altruism

It can be very difficult to understand what motivates a person who sacrifices his time, as well as physical and moral strength. At the same time, a true altruist does not count on returns or help in the future; he performs actions for free.

So what do altruists get in return? What are the benefits of altruism?

• First of all, in the souls of altruists reigns harmony and freedom, which is very difficult to break. This state is achieved due to the fact that the altruist is surrounded by grateful people whom he himself made happy.
• Altruism gives a person confidence in himself and his abilities. When such a person manages to help someone or do something useful, he feels a surge of strength and readiness to continue along this path.
• Altruism also provides an opportunity for self-development and unlocking inner potential. Many people who find themselves in altruism perform actions that are not typical for them for the sake of other people or society.

They say that altruists are very rich people. But their wealth is not in size material condition, but in the depths of their souls.

Disadvantages of Altruism

Currently, people have the opinion that altruism has many more disadvantages than advantages. We live in a world where people often deceive and use each other for personal gain, profit or other gain. Therefore, people are often afraid to do kind and selfless deeds. Altruists often remain misunderstood.

Main negative sides altruism are:

• Altruists usually infringe on themselves and their interests for the sake of another person. This leads to devaluation of one's own life. It is also not uncommon for an altruist to choose one person as an object for self-sacrifice. specific person or a specific group of people. But at the same time, he forgets that there are other people around who also need attention and love.
• Sometimes altruists are too dependent on this feeling they get from helping others. This leads to exalting oneself and one's actions above others. Over time, such people perform all good deeds only in order to feel their superiority.
• An altruist suffers greatly when he fails to help a person or correct any situation. Such torment can lead to various nerve and mental disorders.

Sometimes for an altruist, his own life is worth nothing in comparison with the life of another person. Unfortunately, it happens that altruistic behavior leads to death.

What do you need to do to become an altruist?

People who are characterized by selfish behavior can maintain this lifestyle for years. At first, they find many advantages in this attitude to life. They enjoy their independence and the benefits they receive. However, it often happens that at some point such people burn out. What used to bring them happiness ceases to please them.

In such a situation, it helps to perform at least one selfless act. But it’s not that easy to do even to an ordinary person, not to mention inveterate egoists. So what does it take to become an altruist?

First of all, altruism is a huge amount of work on oneself and self-education. You can start small, gradually moving on to serious actions. For example, you can give alms to someone in need on the street or take an old woman across the road.

Having received the first satisfaction from gratuitous assistance, commit good deeds in the future it will be easier and easier.

Caring for people is great option to become an altruist. A person who can understand the interests and feel the concerns of other people follows the path of altruism. First of all, you should be attentive to your family and friends.

Participating in various charity events as a volunteer would also be a great start. There you can not only provide all possible, selfless help, but also find support and understanding from fellow altruists.

Truly good deeds can make this world a better place. In addition, they bring to the person performing them good mood and positive.

Conclusion

Altruist is real happy man who gives his happiness to others. But it is very important to find a middle ground between these different concepts like altruism and egoism.

Absolute self-sacrifice will not bring anything positive into your life. While helping others, do not forget about yourself and your interests.

Perhaps everyone has a little bit of altruism in them, even if they don't know it.
Veronica Roth. Divergent

Remember what kind and selfless deeds you have done in your life? Did you experience moral satisfaction?

According to definitions, altruism is a selfless concern for the welfare of other people. A manifestation of altruism includes selflessness - sacrificing one’s personal interests for the sake of another person. Altruism is interpreted as a kind of good, the highest manifestation of virtue.

Altruism concept

The term "altruism" (with Latin language"alter" - "other") was French and the "father" was Auguste Comte. According to Comte, a kind of altruism: “Live for others.” It is worth noting that the concept was identified on the basis of long-term observations of people’s behavior. It turned out that many people, even notorious scoundrels and criminals, love someone in their lives and care about these people. And for the sake of their loved ones, many are ready to step over their own principles, beliefs, to provide help or assistance in anything.

Many observations and experiments were carried out in order to find out the ability of people to take care of others completely unselfishly. The results prove that people are capable of this, but it can be very difficult to identify the true motives.

Altruism and egoism

Contrasted with altruism, of course, is egoism, which is presented as a kind of manifestation of evil. Unlike altruism, egoism presupposes the dominance of one's own interests over public ones. To some extent, it is generally accepted that selfishness is something bad and vicious. However, it is worth understanding that neither altruism nor egoism are “ultimate truths,” and with a high degree of confidence it can be argued that both are virtues in reasonable proportions.

Almost every person has both altruistic and selfish inclinations. Imposed care can have the opposite effect to the altruist's expectations. And giving up your own goals and dreams can hardly be perceived as a pure good. Failure to realize your own desires very often leads to unhappiness in life.

It is worth understanding that both altruism and egoism in pure form practically do not exist. All-encompassing philanthropy and similar self-love actually make sense within the context. Perhaps most people will be able, after delving into themselves, to agree with the statement that most often people are altruists and egoists in relation to specific individuals, groups of the population, and not to all inhabitants of the globe.

To understand the phenomenon of altruism, it is easiest to cite the opposite concept - egoism. Indeed, altruism and egoism are concepts that are always found side by side; they are often cited as an example in order to strengthen and brighten the meaning and principle of one of them.

And if egoists are considered people of not the best qualities, condemning their indifference to others, then altruistic behavior evokes admiration, joy and many other positive emotions in people.

After all, an altruist is a person who will help everyone, extend his reliable hand to Hard time, will not leave you in trouble. He is not indifferent to the grief of others, and the problems of others are sometimes more important to him than his own. It is to him that people rush for help or even simple advice knowing that this wonderful person won't turn away.

And the opposite of altruism, human egoism, is often considered a vice and condemned. However, sometimes altruism is confused with mercy, kindness, or even simple weakness. But in fact, it has some features, including:

• Selflessness - a person does his good exclusively for free, without expecting anything in return.
• Priority - other people's interests are always placed in primary place relative to personal interests.
• Sacrifice is the willingness to sacrifice one’s money, time, pleasure, etc. for the sake of others.
• Voluntariness - only a conscious and voluntary choice can be considered altruism.
• Satisfaction – a person derives joy and satisfaction from sacrificing for others without feeling disadvantaged.
• Responsibility - a person is ready to bear it by doing certain things.

The main principle of altruism, as defined by psychologist and philosopher Auguste Comte, is to live for the sake of people, and not for oneself. Such a person is selfless and does not expect anything in return when he does a good deed. He is not characterized by an egoistic type of behavior; he does not put his career, personal development, or any of his other interests first. Altruism can be an innate quality of character in a person, it can be acquired intentionally, or it can manifest itself over the years, and at any age.

Types and examples

Altruism involves selfless help, sacrifice and living for humanity. But there are the most different kinds altruism, which can complement each other, combining in one person, or can exist separately:

1. Moral (or moral). Such a person does good deeds for the sake of a feeling of inner peace and moral satisfaction. He helps poor people, is involved in active volunteer work, takes care of animals, and participates in various social programs, doing a lot of selfless good.

2. Parental. This altruistic type is characteristic of many mothers, sometimes also fathers, and it manifests itself in sacrifice for the good of the children. This behavior is habitual and natural, but irrational. The mother is ready to give her life and all benefits for the sake of the child, she lives for him, forgetting about her own interests.

3. Social altruism is a type of behavior in which a person tries to show selfless support and help loved ones, that is, friends, family members, and people from close circles fall under the scope of his help.

4. The demonstrative type of altruism is a behavior scenario that is carried out not consciously, but because “it’s necessary.”

5. Sympathetic - perhaps the rarest type. Such a person knows how to empathize, acutely senses the pain of others and understands what others feel. Therefore, he always strives to help, to improve someone’s situation, and, which is typical, he always brings what he starts to the end, not limiting himself to partial help.

It is also characteristic that altruistic behavior often lasts longer in women than in men. Altruistic men are prone to spontaneous “outbursts” of goodness and mercy; they can commit heroic deed, risking her life, and a woman would prefer to take responsibility for someone long years, giving your life for another. However, this is only a statistical feature, not a rule, and examples of altruism vary widely.

There are many such examples in history. Among them, spiritual personalities especially stand out - Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Teresa - the list goes on for a long time. They gave their lives from beginning to end to selfless service to people. Can you imagine that, for example, Buddha had some personal interests of his own?

On the way to perfection

Now, inspired by the examples, everyone will want to know how to become an altruist, what needs to be done for this? But before moving on to this issue, it is worth first clearly understanding whether it is good to be one hundred percent altruistic, whether there are disadvantages and hidden nuances to this quality, and what psychology says about this.

Most often, people who consider such a quality as selfishness to be vicious and bad deliberately strive for altruism. But if you think about what altruism and egoism are, it becomes clear that both of these qualities are to some extent natural and present in every personality.

Healthy egoism, shown in moderation, will not cause any harm and, on the contrary, is even necessary. Thinking about your own interests, protecting them, taking care of yourself, striving for benefits, development and personal growth, understanding your desires and respecting them - are these qualities bad person? On the contrary, it characterizes a strong and conscious personality. Where did this come from? negative attitude to selfishness?

Most often, a person who strives for his own good is condemned by people like him, but those who expect some kind of help from him (although he, in fact, is not obliged). Not getting what he expected, they begin to condemn him. And if this happens in early age, when the personality and psyche are just being formed, the result is obvious - a person blocks healthy egoism in himself, considering it a vice, and begins to live to his own detriment.

Of course, selfishness to the extreme does not bring anything good, because an absolutely selfish person is simply antisocial. But this should not mean that taking care of your interests is bad. So, the opposite of selfless altruism, in fact, does not contain anything vicious or bad.

And, since extremes are bad in everything, then altruistic behavior in the extreme degree of its manifestation is not necessarily holiness. Before becoming an altruist and rushing to help those in need, it is worth understanding your motives. Selfless service to the world and humanity must be precisely selfless, and this is not so easy. There are a number of hidden motives that psychology notes in manifestations of intentional altruism. In other words, this is the goal for which a person tries to do good deeds:

• Self confidence. By helping others, a person gains confidence in his abilities and feels that he can do something. It has been noticed that it is for others that a person is able to do more than for himself.
• Making amends for bad deeds. Sometimes people who are interested in altruism are those who have either done a serious bad deed or for a long time We didn’t live quite right and caused a lot of pain to other people. It is very good if a person has come to such changes, but it is worth realizing that in this case you need to completely change yourself, and not count bad and good deeds, as if paying off your own conscience.
• Manifestation and assertion of oneself in society. If altruism has negative examples, then this is the case. Such a person demonstratively does good, and if he donates or engages in charity, he attracts as many witnesses as possible. Altruism, by definition, has nothing to do with self-interest, so such behavior is far from true sacrifice.
• Manipulation of people. Another negative example of how a person does good deeds for his own selfish purposes. He helps relatives and friends, does a lot for friends, is ready to help, but with the goal of manipulating them and receiving respect, dependence, and love in return.

The only goal, perhaps, that can be subconsciously pursued by a true altruist is a feeling of happiness and harmony with the world and with oneself. After all, even the meaning of the word “altruist” itself comes from “other,” that is, a person who thinks about others, so what kind of self-interest can we talk about!

And the desire to be happy is a natural and healthy desire that is characteristic of every harmonious, developing personality. And the best part is that altruistic behavior actually brings a feeling of happiness!

How can we begin to change, what rules of true altruism should we learn so as not to go to extremes, not to forget about our own interests, but at the same time receive happiness from helping others? The main thing is voluntariness and the absence of a clear plan. Just help someone in need, do it secretly without showing your achievement, and feel inner satisfaction. There are so many who need help!

You don't have to be rich to help. After all, in altruism, warm words of support, empathy, and attention matter. The most valuable thing you can sacrifice is your time! Don't forget about your loved ones. It is a very sad situation in which a person actively and fanatically helps the homeless, animals and the poor, spending all his time on this, while at home the family suffers from the lack of his attention. Give your soul to people, give yourself, and you will be surprised how much you have inner light, and how much you get by giving! Author: Vasilina Serova

Altruism is the desire to help other people without thinking about one's own benefit, sometimes to the detriment of one's own interests. This term can be used to describe the desire to take care of others without expecting reciprocal gratitude.

An altruist can be called a person who first of all thinks about others and is always ready to help.

Altruism can be imaginary and true. Behind imaginary altruism is the desire for gratitude or to increase one’s own status, when a person helps another in order to be known as kind and sympathetic, and to rise in the eyes of others.

A true altruist is ready to help not only family and friends, but also strangers. And most importantly, such a person does not seek gratitude or praise in return. He does not set himself the goal of making another person dependent on himself with his help. An altruist does not manipulate others, providing them with services, showing the appearance of caring.

Theories of altruism

The nature of altruism and the motives of behavior of altruists are actively studied by both sociologists and psychologists.

In sociology

In sociology, there are three main theories of the nature of altruism:

• social exchange theory,
• theory of social norms,
• evolutionary theory.

These are complementary theories and none of them gives a complete answer to the question of why people are willing to selflessly help others.

The theory of social exchange is based on the concept of deep (latent) egoism. Its supporters believe that subconsciously a person always calculates his own benefit when committing a selfless act.

Social norms theory views altruism as a social responsibility. That is, such behavior is part of natural behavior within the framework of social norms accepted in society.

Evolutionary theory defines altruism as part of development, as an attempt to preserve the gene pool. Within this theory, altruism can be seen as the driving force of evolution.

Of course, it is difficult to define the concept of altruism based only on social research; to fully understand its nature, it is necessary to remember the so-called “spiritual” qualities of the individual.

In psychology

From a psychological point of view, altruistic behavior may be based on a reluctance (impossibility) to see the suffering of other people. This may be a subconscious feeling.

According to another theory, altruism can be a consequence of feelings of guilt; helping those in need feels like “atonement for sins.”

Types of altruism

In psychology, the following types of altruism are distinguished:

• moral,
• parental,
• social,
• demonstrative,
• sympathetic,
• rational.

Moral

The basis of moral altruism is moral principles, conscience, spiritual needs of a person. Actions and actions are consistent with personal beliefs and ideas of justice. By realizing spiritual needs through helping others, a person experiences satisfaction and finds harmony with himself and the world. He feels no remorse because he remains honest with himself. An example is normative altruism, as a type of moral. It is based on the desire for justice, the desire to defend the truth.

Parental

Parental altruism is understood as a sacrificial attitude towards a child, when adults, without thinking about benefits and not considering their actions as a contribution to the future, are ready to give their best. It is important that such parents act taking into account the personal interests of the child, and do not realize their unfulfilled dreams or ambitions. Parental altruism is selfless; the mother will never tell her child what she spent best years for his upbringing, but received no gratitude in return.

Social

Social altruism is free assistance to relatives, friends, good acquaintances, colleagues, that is, those people who can be called your inner circle. In part, this type of altruism is a social mechanism, thanks to which more comfortable relationships are established in the group. But assistance provided for the purpose of subsequent manipulation is not altruism as such.

Demonstrative

The basis of such a concept as demonstrative altruism is social norms. A person does a “good” deed, but on a subconscious level he is guided by “rules of decency.” For example, give way to old people or small child in public transport.

Sympathetic

At the heart of compassionate altruism is empathy. A person puts himself in the place of another and, having “felt” his problem, helps to solve it. These are always actions aimed at a specific result. Most often it manifests itself in relation to close people and this type can be called a form of social altruism.

Rational

Rational altruism is understood as the performance of noble deeds without detriment to oneself, when a person considers the consequences of his actions. In this case, a balance is maintained between the needs of the individual himself and the needs of others.

The basis of rational altruism is defending one’s own boundaries and a share of healthy egoism, when a person does not allow those around him to “get on his neck,” manipulate or use him. Often kind and helpful people unable to say no and instead of solving their problems they help others.

Reasonable altruism is a guarantee healthy relationships between people in which there is no place for exploitation.

Distinctive characteristics of an altruist

According to psychologists, actions that are characterized by the following features can be called altruistic:

• Gratuitous. When performing this or that act, a person does not seek personal gain or gratitude;
• Responsibility. An altruist fully understands the consequences of his actions and is ready to bear responsibility for them;
• Priority. Own interests fade into the background, the needs of others come first;
• Freedom of choice. An altruist is ready to help others at will, this is his personal choice;
• Sacrifice. A person is ready to spend personal time, moral and physical strength or material resources for the sake of supporting another;
• Satisfaction. By giving up some of his personal needs in order to help others, an altruist feels satisfied and does not consider himself deprived.

Altruistic actions often make it easier to realize your personal potential. By helping those in need, a person can do more than for himself, feel more confident, and believe in his own strength.

Based on research results, psychologists have determined that by performing altruistic acts a person feels happier.

What personal qualities are characteristic of altruists?
Psychologists highlight following features character of altruists:

• kindness,
• generosity,
• mercy,
• unselfishness,
• respect and love for other people,
• sacrifice,
• nobility.

What these personality traits have in common is that they are self-directed. People who are more willing to give than to take.

Altruism and egoism

At first glance, altruism and egoism seem to be polar manifestations personal qualities. It is generally accepted to consider altruism a virtue and selfishness an unworthy behavior. Self-sacrifice and selfless help to others evoke admiration, while the desire to achieve personal gain and disregard for the interests of other people evoke condemnation and censure.

But if we consider not the extreme manifestations of selfishness, but the so-called reasonable selfishness, then you can see that it is based, just like altruism, on the principles of morality and morality. Taking care of yourself and the desire to achieve a goal, without causing harm to others or betraying others, cannot be called unworthy.

Also, rational altruism, which was mentioned above, is a manifestation of not only kindness, but also healthy selfishness.

There is a negative attitude towards extreme manifestations of both selfishness and altruism in society. Egoists are considered soulless and calculating, fixated on themselves, but altruists who have forgotten about their own needs and abandoned their own lives for the sake of others are considered insane and treated with distrust.

Each person combines both selfish traits and altruism. It is important to develop the latter, without completely abandoning your own interests and needs.

How to develop this quality in yourself

You can become kinder and more responsive by helping, without thinking about gratitude, without trying to improve your social status, or to be known as a “good” person.

Volunteering is ideal for developing altruistic traits in yourself. By caring for the seriously ill in hospices or abandoned elderly people, or visiting residents of orphanages, or helping in animal shelters, you can show your best quality kindness, mercy, generosity. You can participate in the work of human rights organizations, helping people who find themselves in difficult situations. life situations faced with injustice.

Harmony with the world and yourself will help you show altruistic qualities. At the same time, selfless caring for those in need can help you find peace of mind.

Advantages and disadvantages

It is important not to forget about yourself with everything, allowing others to use you. The ability to sacrifice one's own interests in order to help someone in trouble or difficult situation undoubtedly deserves respect.

Altruism comes from the Latin word “alter”, which means “other” or “others”. This is the principle moral behavior a person, implying selflessness in actions aimed at meeting the needs of people around him, while infringing on his own interests and benefits. Sometimes in psychology, altruism is regarded either as an analogue or as a component of prosocial behavior.

The concept of altruism was formulated for the first time, as opposed to egoism, French philosopher, the founder of sociology François Xavier Comte in the first half of the 18th century. Its original definition was: “Live for the sake of others.”

Theories of altruism

There are three main complementary theories of altruism:

• Evolutionary. Based on the concept of “preservation of the species - driving force evolution." Proponents of this theory consider altruism to be a biologically programmed quality of living beings that maximizes the preservation of the genotype;
• Social sharing. Subconscious consideration of basic values ​​in any situation social economy– feelings, emotions, information, status, mutual services. When faced with a choice - to provide help or pass by, a person always instinctively calculates the consequences of the decision, mentally weighing the effort expended and the bonuses received. This theory interprets the provision selfless help as a deep manifestation of selfishness;
• Social norms. According to the rules of society, which determine the behavioral responsibilities of an individual within boundaries called norms, providing selfless help is a natural human necessity. Modern sociologists have put forward this theory altruism, as based on the principles of reciprocity - mutual support of equals, and social responsibility - assistance to people who obviously do not have the opportunity to reciprocate (children, the sick, the elderly, the poor). The motivation for altruism in both cases is social norms of behavior.

But none of these theories provides a complete, convincing and unambiguous explanation of the nature of altruism. Probably because this quality of a person should also be considered on a spiritual plane. Sociology, on the other hand, is a more pragmatic science, which significantly limits it in the study of altruism as a property of human character, as well as in identifying the motives that encourage people to act unselfishly.

One of the paradoxes modern world is that a society that has long and firmly hung price tags on everything - from material goods to scientific achievements And human feelings– continues to generate incorrigible altruists.

Types of altruism

Let's consider the main types of altruism, from the point of view of the above theories as applied to certain situations:

• Parental. An irrational, selfless, sacrificial attitude towards children, when parents are ready to give not only material goods, but also own life for the sake of saving your child;
• Moral. Realization of your spiritual needs to achieve a state of inner comfort. For example, volunteers who selflessly care for terminally ill patients show compassion, being content with moral satisfaction;
• Sociable. A type of altruism that extends to the immediate environment - acquaintances, colleagues, friends, neighbors. Free services to these people make existence in certain groups more comfortable, which in some way even allows them to be manipulated;
• Sympathetic. People tend to experience empathy, to imagine themselves in the place of another person, empathizing with him. In such a situation, supporting someone out of altruism is potentially projected onto oneself. A distinctive feature of this type of assistance is that it is always specific and aimed at a real final result;
• Demonstrative. It is expressed in the automatic, at the subconscious level, fulfillment of generally accepted norms of behavior. Assistance provided from such motives can be characterized by the expression “it’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

Often, the manifestation of mercy, philanthropy, selflessness, and sacrifice is interpreted as altruism. But there are basic distinctive features, which only in combination are inherent in altruistic behavior:

Altruism helps to reveal potential opportunities personality, since for the sake of others a person is often able to do much more than what he does for himself. Moreover, such actions give him confidence in his own abilities.

Many psychologists are confident that the tendency towards altruism in people is directly related to the feeling of happiness.

It is noteworthy that zoological scientists note manifestations of altruistic behavior in their natural habitat in dolphins, monkeys and crows.