Altruism and Self-Interest

There are religions and ideologies that claim man's highest nature to be altruism or service to humanity; and there are religions and ideologies that claim that man's nature is self-interest. Both are part-right.

There are some activities that are both altruistic and self-interested. Parenting involves going far out of one's way to take care of another life; it also involves extending one's family line. The parent is both altruistic and self-interested; and there is absolutely no contradiction between the altruistic and the self-interested aspect in parenting.

It has been found that some people have genes for altruism. Whether or not one has genes for it, one can choose to be altruistic if one wants to make that choice. While the views on the righteousness of this choice extend from those of Buddha to those of Ayn Rand, it cannot be denied that all people are capable of both altruism and self-interest.

In both cases, we see the capacity for both right and wrong. With altruism, we see the capacity for action that benefits others; we also see the capacity for denying people the right to positive experiences in their personal lives. With self-interest, we see the capacity for great motivation; we also see the capacity for short-sightedness and destructive rapacity. People are capable of both altruism and self-interest, and it is important that both be carried out in the best manner they can.

Neither altruism nor self-interest are either good or evil. Both can go right, and both can go wrong. The intelligent solution is to make the best of both while confronting potentials for wrong in both. And then people will be able to practice both altruism and self-interest in a way that actually leads to human benefit.