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Week 7 [26-02.12.18] Egoistic Altruism

Egoistic Altruism



The industrial revolutions have changed our world drastically. Humanity now produces more goods that it can possibly consume but it still asks for more. However, a significant part of humanity still doesn’t have access to the things that are common for us, like education, quality healthcare, electricity, etc. The large part of the potential positive outcome for each individual human being is simply lost. I encourage you to watch the following video and find out, why the welfare of the others defines your own welfare.



Questions:

1. What are your thoughts about this statement presented in the video: “In a positive-sum world, the more people are well-off, the better your own life is”?


2. In your opinion, do people nowadays are more egoistic or altruistic? What caused such a situation, in your opinion?

Comments

Progress is inevitable. Unstoppable. However, it could be slowed. Or boosted. There is actually nothing to add to this video, it perfectly describes how the world should develop. Economical equality. Seems impossible? Well, actually it is pretty simple. Demand and contribution.
Unknown said…
If it is so simple, why it is not already achieved?
Unknown said…
1. What are your thoughts about this statement presented in the video: “In a positive-sum world, the more people are well-off, the better your own life is”?
Well, I totally agree with the statement. It is crucial to highlight "in a positive-sum world", because only there this statement is true. Our world is made of people, habitants which create it and unfortunately not every habitant is thinking in the way of "positive-sum" idea. Very often, people are driven by their own well-being and are blind to such ideas like the one above.

2. In your opinion, do people nowadays are more egoistic or altruistic? What caused such a situation, in your opinion?
I tend to see egoistic people more often than altruistic ones. I think it is caused by the fact that people got more isolated and alone by overall globalization including it's factors. We are more connected as a group of humans living on our planet, but more separated in our homes and closest groups of people.
Unknown said…
Positive sum game it really is but it still outside of our lifetime to see the actual benefits. It's hard to believe that people actually will start to appreciate that unless technology could increase life time dramatically. Egoism is paying off better in our society so far. It's like a collective immunity to viruses where people just use others in there own interest without acknowledging their part in society.
Unknown said…
I also thought about that people don't want to spent their time and efforts for things that won't be achieved in the nearest. So yes, actually, egoism is paying off better in the short term, while altruism takes more time to make profit. Nobody just wants to think about some far future. If the one is okay with what he has today, it is enough for him. Guess, human being lifetime could be one of the most important reasons of egoism.
Unknown said…
I completely agree with the presenter, this video seems to be created from my head. It is well said that the more people will need, the faster they will get it. So, for example, I often have a question "for whom do we develop some technologies, which by their abilities can already replace a living person?". I believe that the issues of robotics are important for those who live in prosperity and they have money and ambitions to engage in such a matter. But it seems to me that even more people are interested in the issue of "education, one’s own and one’s children, the earning for minimum benefits, the possibility of employment". If money were invested not in development, but in educational institutions with the ability to obtain the necessary knowledge for free, then our “pie” would be common. It turns out that technical development issues are resolved faster than the issues of combating poverty, theft and violence.
I can not say for sure. Most people with opportunities forget that they can help others and it’s not necessary to just give out money, but only to provide an opportunity to learn and work, then there will be more chances to get new workers and professors, solutions and proposals. But unfortunately, altruists, rather, those who still do not have a million-bag, to invest it in astronautics.
Unknown said…
Here is another problem. It is not enough to simply make an investment. It can cause more problems than it was already, because you just give a bag of money, but you can't control, how it will be used. That's also why it called egoistic altruism. If you lend resources for some improvement, you have to be sure, that this particular improvement is achieved.
Unknown said…
I agree with this thought, but I learned, read, and experienced that there is a long way until we as a society will understand it. As history shows, many people are afraid of innovation, and they will do anything to stop it. Of course, there were also times when there were more people like me, and they were able to either change their enemies minds or exterminate them. I think we should put our efforts into opening others people minds to understand what the matter is. It's tough for me to be a true altruist because of my culture, and background but I try to do my best to become a true altruist in the future. The fundamental lesson that life gave me was that we should not force other people to believe us or help them. We should offer our help and wait until they ask for it. Another way we will lose our money, nerves and time which is precious because we can spend it helping somebody who really needs it, wants it and will use it.
Illia Lukisha said…
1. What are your thoughts about this statement presented in the video: “In a positive-sum world, the more people are well-off, the better your own life is”?

I agree with this statement. But I little bit skeptical about possibility of positive-sums world. Unfortunately people generally don't understand the importance of ridding of the borders and making things together not dividing achievements between few owners. There is another argument, from my perspective not all people are thinking about development and improving, some people just like to use achievements of others and don't contributing themselves, it seems clearly in the poor African countries, where people just waiting for a goods, but they mostly don't try to do something themselves.


2. In your opinion, do people nowadays are more egoistic or altruistic? What caused such a situation, in your opinion?

I think people became more altruistic, but it depends on development of country, because when society is grown up, then they start to think about positive-sum of neighbors, this don't work vise versa.
Unknown said…
Thanks for sharing very interesting video. The arguments and simulations presented in the video look reasonable and give another viewpoint on today’s world which I totally agree with. I think that the biggest challenge in making this approach widespread is that people have been being influenced by the evolution processes and primal instincts like survival. This had implied competition for food or territory and assumed that one of the competing side has to lose this competition.
It is hard to say in general. On the one hand, we can see a lot of great initiatives aimed at helping people like foundations and charities, on the other hand people nowadays are more egoistic and focused only on their own well-being. I think it is caused partially because of technology which make people communicate in virtual world which and do not build strong relationships in the real world which make them more isolated and anonymous.
Unknown said…
I can agree about virtual world, this is actually a good point. It really makes a lot of people more egocentric and self-preaching. Like always, people destroy another great idea, using the worldwide web like in all possible ways, except the ones that it was made for.
Unknown said…
1. What are your thoughts about this statement presented in the video: “In a positive-sum world, the more people are well-off, the better your own life is”?
I agree with this statement and this world will be a better place if everybody think that way.
2. In your opinion, do people nowadays are more egoistic or altruistic? What caused such a situation, in your opinion?
Much more common atitude is to compete with others. We can see that behaviour in almost every factor. Also there is a stereotype about polish mindset that we are not happy about the success of others and we envy them.

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