Does the World need Altruists?

15/10/2018

"Only with the higher development of knowledge and its vessel, the human mind, a balance between egoism and altruism can be achieved"

Konstantin Tsiolkovsky

Why should a person be virtuous? Planetary ethics, which combines moral principles with behavioral guidance for the current and future generations, holds answers to this question. Virtue is not only the absence of vices, but also the work that helps people overcome obstacles in the pursuit of happiness. Therefore, it is an integral part of highly moral human behavior.

The external source of morality is the life of a person in the company of the person’s own kind. The internal source includes the person’s values and ideals that he or she has developed over life. But, again, various factors and circumstances have an impact on this process. Wise men have long come to the conclusion that man is by nature good and is disposed to the affirmation and multiplication of good. But in the fight against evil, people are ready to perform such "feats"! Evaluating them from the point of view of humanity, it is impossible to consider Homo sapiens as the crown of creation whether we believe in God or evolution. The evil-good duo is far from being fixed on the positive-negative polarity scale. What is good for one is death for another. Again, technological progress and the development of science change even the most conservative views on the values of life. To deny the objectivity of this is immoral. In this case, however, the behavior of those who serve exclusively their own interests, without imposing help on others or even offering them any help, becomes the truest, most sincere and honest.

The higher the educational, professional and social status of the person, the more his or her goals and motives are tied to the needs for self-realization, development and recognition. The latter is impossible outside of society. And the opposites of “egoism” with “altruism” are thus united. People who act exclusively in their own interests, sometimes achieve great things in science, the arts, or social relations! The history of our civilization has proved it time and again.

In the modern philistine consciousness, egoism is more likely perceived as a negative characteristic of human nature. Greed and mercantilism are its creations, while selfishness is a virtue killer! However, greed and taking care of oneself are completely different things.

It is proved that hatred of themselves is a distinct characteristic of rapists and power loving individuals. Any hypocrite who does not care about themselves is simply a deluded egoist who instead of doing good does harm to themselves and, as a result, to others. What if we think of egoism as a desire to make one’s own life better, without problems and hardships? “There will be no suffering around, and I will not be subjected to it,” this is how so many people begin their path to mercy. From the love of one’s own life to the care of loved ones and relatives, to the love of life in general as the greatest value! It is the understanding of life as a continuous process of creation and love that forms the ideological platform of the Planetary Project. Planetary ethics alone, based on the greatest human values, can withstand human destructive morality and foster positive morality in the modern world.

Society consists of individuals and is interested in the development of talents and abilities of each of its members. On the other hand, it requires from a person a high level of responsibility and compliance with its norms and rules. Most modern people easily combine both altruism and egoism with the predominance of one over the other, depending on external factors.

Just as falsely understood love of oneself leads to a misunderstanding of universal and personal good, so the weakness of an individual vis-a-vis the masses does not cause altruism but a herd instinct. It is impossible to become benevolent by duty or “to join a company”. It will not be “the flight of the soul”, but only its imitation. Spiritual and practical altruism can and should be exclusively a conscious, voluntary and desirable practice based on free choice.

P.S. As to political choice...

When you read what candidates aspiring to public office write in their promotion booklets it is amazing how often they put the interests of society first and their own last. What a concentration of altruists in government!

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