Altruism: vocation of the soul or fashion. Altruism Motives

Altruism - from the Latin word "alter", which means "other" or "others". This is the principle of human moral behavior, implying disinterestedness in actions aimed at meeting the needs of the people around, with the infringement of one's 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, as opposed to egoism, was first formulated by the French philosopher, the founder of sociology Francois Xavier Comte in the first half of the 18th century. Its original definition was: "Live for others."

Altruism theories

There are three main complementary theories of altruism:

Evolutionary. It is based on the concept of “preservation of the genus is the driving force of evolution”. Proponents of this theory consider altruism to be a biologically programmed quality of living beings that maximizes the preservation of the genotype;
social exchange. Subconscious consideration in any situation of the basic values of the social economy - feelings, emotions, information, status, mutual services. Faced with a choice - to help or pass by, a person always instinctively calculates the consequences of the decision, mentally measuring the efforts expended and the bonuses received. This theory interprets the provision of selfless help as a deep manifestation of selfishness;
social norms. According to the rules of society, which determine the behavioral duties of an individual within the boundaries called norms, the provision of disinterested assistance is a natural necessity for a person. Modern sociologists have put forward this theory of altruism as based on the principles of reciprocity - mutual support of equals, and social responsibility - assistance to people who are obviously unable to reciprocate (children, sick, elderly, poor). Altruism is motivated in both cases by 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 studying altruism as a property of the human character, as well as in identifying the motives that encourage people to act selflessly.

One of the paradoxes of the 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

Consider the main types of altruism, in terms 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 their own lives for the sake of saving their child;
Moral. Realization of one's spiritual needs to achieve a state of inner comfort. For example, volunteers who disinterestedly care for the terminally ill show compassion, content with moral satisfaction;
Social. 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 allows them to be manipulated in some way;
Sympathetic. People tend to experience empathy, imagine themselves in the place of another person, empathizing with him. In such a situation, giving support to 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 end result;
Demonstrative. It is expressed in the automatic, at the subconscious level, the implementation of generally accepted norms of behavior. Assistance provided from this kind of motives can be characterized by the expression "as it should be."

Often, the manifestation of mercy, philanthropy, selflessness, sacrifice is interpreted as altruism. But there are main distinguishing features that are inherent in altruistic behavior only in a complex:

Altruism helps to reveal the potential of the individual, because for the sake of others a person is often able to do much more than what he does for himself. At the same time, such actions give him self-confidence.

Many psychologists believe that people's tendency to altruism is directly related to the feeling of happiness.

It is noteworthy that zoologists note manifestations of altruistic behavior in their natural habitat in dolphins, monkeys and ravens.

Altruism as a personality trait is a tendency to unselfish concern for the well-being of others and a willingness to sacrifice one's personal interests for others.

Once the disciples asked their Teacher: “Tell me, Teacher, why do some people break down in difficult situations, while others show steadfastness? Why does the world collapse for some, while others find the strength to continue living; the former go into depression, but for the latter it is not terrible? - “That's because, - answered the Teacher, - that the world of each person is like a star system. Only the first in this system have only one single celestial body - themselves. Their entire universe revolves exclusively around themselves, and therefore any catastrophe leads to the death of such a world. The latter live surrounded by other celestial bodies, they are used to thinking not only about themselves, but also about those who are nearby. In difficult moments of life, their thoughts do not focus only on their own problems. The need to care for and help others takes precedence over heavy thoughts. By participating in the lives of those around them and supporting them in difficult times, such people, without realizing it, save themselves from death.

The phenomenon of altruism is extremely mysterious. A person in the material world is by default an egoist, the only question is to what extent - goodness, passion or ignorance. A person, as a body, feelings, mind and mind saturated with a false ego, must first of all take care of his own survival. Man as a soul (the nature of the soul is consciousness) is neither selfish nor altruistic. And suddenly - the readiness to disinterestedly sacrifice one's own interests for the interests of another person or for the common good.

Altruism is an impulse of generosity and selflessness, inexplicable for most people.

Altruism is contrary to the very nature of a living being with its basic instincts of self-preservation and survival.

The term "altruism" was proposed by the French thinker Auguste Comte (1798-1857) in order to express the concept opposite to selfishness. Comte's principle of altruism was: "Live for others." The desire to give is the essence of altruism. But not everything is so simple, caring for strangers can be considered altruism, if there are no thoughts about one's own interests and self-interest either on the conscious or on the subconscious levels. By sacrificing something for the sake of his loved ones, a person, albeit in a small proportion, can count on gratitude, reciprocity and reciprocal courtesy. Even a mother experiences selfish feelings regarding her child, counting, for example, on reciprocal love, care and attention to herself in old age.

A person with altruism manifested as a personality quality simply wants to give - without PR, without positive expectations of any preferences for himself in the future. Altruism has no tomorrow. His nature corresponds to solidarity with other people, the predominance of their interests over their own and selfless service to them. Being the opposite of selfishness, he draws his strength from selflessness, love for people, mercy, kindness and readiness to help. Kindness is the hallmark of altruism.

Possessing a set of such virtues, the altruist is usually modest, gentle and calm. Recall the poem "The Story of an Unknown Hero" by S. Marshak. We are talking about an altruist - a guy who saved a girl on a fire and disappeared without waiting for gratitude. The beginning of the poem: “Firefighters are looking, The police are looking ... Photographers are looking for In our capital, They have been looking for a long time, But they can’t find, A guy of some twenty years old.” An altruist with undisguised interest is able to get carried away for a long time doing other people's affairs, forgetting about his own, it is problematic for him to eat alone, when he brings joy to someone, he himself shines with happiness more than anyone else. He sincerely rejoices in someone else's happiness and success. His whole appearance emits a signal: "I wish everyone happiness."

Altruism is not to give everything to people, but to be left without pants and feel somehow disadvantaged and flawed. This is stupid, absurd altruism, which, for sure, will be used by unscrupulous people. For example, donations and philanthropy only bring moral satisfaction when their owner is firmly convinced of the correctness of his choice to provide assistance. Excessively forgetting about himself, the altruist acts unwisely and short-sightedly. Wise altruism comes not from feelings, emotions or sentimentality, but from the mind. It presupposes prudence, reasonableness and sanity.

It is difficult for an ordinary person, imbued with egoism, to understand the taste of happiness experienced by the owner of altruism. At the same time, everyone at least once in their life experienced how “the soul sings” after a person has performed some selfless act for people. This is when you drag home an injured puppy, knowing that this will increase your worries, this is when you help an unfamiliar old woman carry bags to her house, this is when you take a stranger to the hospital without even thinking about any reward. Doing good, the altruist does not live in anticipation of those feelings that he will experience later, this would be self-interest. It is unconditional, like a mother's love for her baby. People tend to light up from time to time with the mysterious magical light of altruism.

Altruism has nothing to do with recklessness, thoughtlessness and thoughtlessness, on the contrary, it is friendly with awareness. The mind is the space between the stimulus and the reaction to it. During this short time (sometimes a moment), a person makes a choice - to rush to save a child from under the wheels from a car or not to risk his life, to stand up for a woman in front of hooligans or cowardly "tuck his tail" and run off to hell. From the standpoint of common sense, altruism is harmful, because a person sacrifices his own without receiving anything in return. The false ego of an ordinary person is ready to make a huge scandal every time they encroach on his safety and property, but for the altruist it is in the background and has no right to vote. Altruism is freedom from the tyranny of false ego .

Even Adam Smith in The Theory of Moral Sentiments wrote: “No matter how selfish a person may seem, certain laws are clearly laid down in his nature, forcing him to be interested in the fate of others and consider their happiness necessary for himself, although he himself does not receive anything from this, for except for the pleasure of seeing this happiness.

The highest form of altruism is to give a person spiritual knowledge on how to achieve happiness. With a baggage of spiritual knowledge, he is not afraid of any life misfortunes and difficulties. Having become a mature person, a person himself can become capable of performing altruistic deeds, and this is already the highest aerobatics for a mentor.

Petr Kovalev 2013

Altruism is a lifestyle aimed at serving people. We can talk about this as a character trait, a philosophy of life. It is most often compared with and seen as the opposite of the latter and a desirable style of behavior. But is it? Do you need to be an altruist? Or is it as bad as unhealthy selfishness? Let's figure it out.

"Be an altruist, respect the selfishness of others" - Stanislav Jerzy Lec.

Altruism is a willingness to help, listen, understand another person, and even just the ability to recognize and accept someone else's opinions and interests. The term itself was introduced by the sociologist O. Comte. And in the very first interpretation from the lips of the “father”, the meaning of altruism sounded like this: “Do so that your personal interest serves someone else’s interest.”

To date, this interpretation has been greatly distorted and equated with self-sacrifice, which has nothing to do with altruism:

Altruism is behavior that is beneficial to other people, but is harmful or detrimental to the altruist himself.
This is a selfless activity, activity in relation to the creation of good for other people.
Altruism is identical with selflessness - that's what they say most often now.

However, if a person does good to others by harming himself, then this is an unhealthy state. It's about some kind of mental problem, perhaps, or a life-destroying scenario. Of course, in a relationship we can sacrifice something, sometimes make concessions and compromises, but on the condition that this does not turn into self-destruction and self-humiliation.

Modern altruism is volunteering, charity, mentoring. The essential characteristics of altruism include:

responsibility;
unselfishness;
freedom and awareness of choice;
feeling of satisfaction and fulfillment.

Altruism theories

Biological and social

There is a theory according to which the genes of altruism are embedded in us, but this mechanism is activated only in relation to close people (children, parents, spouses, friends and loved ones). If altruistic behavior is used too often, causing harm to a person, then this innate ability is gradually replaced completely. The optimal variant of altruism is its application in relation to the same close altruists.

There is another theory. Until recently, it was believed that altruism is exclusively the result of upbringing, social learning. But even today, although this factor is taken into account, biological determinants are assigned the leading role. By the way, innate altruism is one of the elements that unite us with animals. But some differences exist:

in animals, altruism is due solely to biology and instincts;
a person is capable of conscious, endowed with values and cultural significance, altruism;
human altruism is always motivated by something, not necessarily a survival instinct.

Despite the fact that the fact of an innate tendency to altruism has been established, the clear possibilities and strength of this natural feature have not been determined. Altruism contributes to the preservation of the human species in a broad sense. Protecting loved ones is a variant of procreation and preservation of one's genes. Although this subtext is not always realized.

However, a new contradiction follows from this: is it altruism if a person tries to preserve his genes and continue his race? Isn't it about healthy egoism? And if so, are egoism and altruism so opposite? So far, these questions are unanswered.

Social

According to another theory, altruism is always based on the expectation (conscious or unconscious) of reciprocal gratitude. The reward can take any form and form, but everyone wants to receive it. In the context of this, we subconsciously want to be an altruist in relation to those in whom we see the potential to “give in full”.

Then the question arises again: isn't this egoism? Is it possible to help people by actually sacrificing oneself, or is it all a form of selfishness that wants us to feel important, significant, kind, and, in the end, is known as altruists? I think the answer is at the junction of positions: altruism and the truth is a continuation of egoism, or rather, they can be compared with "yin and yang."

The balance of egoism and altruism is important. What does it mean? Healthy selfishness keeps us safe and secure, but altruism allows us to build relationships with others and satisfy our longing to be with someone. We are social beings and there is nothing you can do about it. We need to be ourselves in the company of other people. For this, a balance in behavior patterns is needed.

Reasons and structure of altruism

As a result of learning, altruism develops:

after a sincere repentance of a person in something;
due to suffering or loss;
with a pronounced sense of the injustice of this world in a broad sense.

Altruism consists of humanity, compassion and a developed sense of justice. Without this complex it is impossible to show altruism, moreover, neither healthy nor painful. Empathy is another important element. Without a developed ability to feel and feel the moods of other people, altruism is out of the question.

It is altruism that allows us to get along with people, build harmonious close relationships, and fulfill our duties. The altruist does good because it is his inner conviction that his opponent would have done the same.

Why is altruism dangerous?

Altruism deprives the individual of himself. Thinking more of others than of oneself, or thinking of others to the detriment of oneself, causes a person to essentially disown himself and recognize the superiority of the other. But that's just one danger.

The second danger is that the one in whose direction altruism is directed begins to feel like a god and gradually gets mired in selfishness. Thus, altruism is dangerous in two ways:

loss of personality, self, "I" of the altruist;
distortion of the image of "I" in the direction towards which altruism is directed.

If we consider altruism bordering on hyper-protection, for example, maternal, then for the object of altruism it is also dangerous by learned helplessness, dependence.

Do I need to be an altruist

Thus, altruism is useful and necessary, but in moderation and subject to responses. Blind and excessive self-sacrifice harms both the one who gives and the one who receives. He deprives one, and the other of independence and adequate socialization in the world.

Do not strive to become an altruist. It is necessary to participate in what is mutual and mutual. In that, where the benefit for oneself is combined with the benefit for others. , cannot be a one-way process. And these are the main processes in which a person participates.

Considering the basic concepts of altruism, psychologists still cannot unambiguously characterize it. Everything depends on the true motives of a person (conscious and unconscious), as well as on the consequences of altruistic activity:

If the motives (needs) are not higher, then the usefulness of such altruism is questionable.
If a person suffers from his own altruism, then this is a painful form of behavior.

Healthy altruism is an element of a mature personality, a way to satisfy higher needs for self-realization and self-actualization. But altruism should never be the result of a violated self-preservation instinct or actions on orders, as well as a means to achieve other goals, for example, gaining power, dependence on the part of the ward.

In our usual understanding, altruism is selfless help to others. In the general sense, it is considered a positive, respectable quality. But self-sacrifice sometimes takes extreme forms. For example, in caring for others, a person completely forgets about himself or acts defiantly, solely for his own authority. Where is the fine line between altruism and selfishness? What motives motivate people to act for the benefit of others? What are the types of altruism?

In the article we will tell you: the evolution of the concept of why good should be done consciously, what is the difference between volunteering and charity.

What is altruism

Altruism is a group of emotions that encourages a person to do things that are useful for others, but disadvantageous for himself. Accordingly, altruists are people who are ready to sacrifice their own interests for the benefit of relatives, others or society. A short designation of the concept is considered to be the setting " live for others". Within the framework of the theory of evolution, there is the concept of "mutually beneficial altruism". Its components: compassion, generosity are necessary conditions for the survival of society.

Altruistic behavior is not limited to humans.. Animals or insects are also able to selflessly serve their community. For example, social insects bees or ants daily act for the common good and sacrifice themselves in moments of danger. Another example of self-sacrifice in animals is ground squirrels. When an eagle or a fox approaches a flock of rodents, the first gopher to detect danger makes specific sounds. He does not run away, he sacrifices himself to save his family.

But there is a big difference in the selfless service of a person and other living beings. Ants or gophers sacrifice themselves solely for the sake of "their own". Human sacrifice extends far beyond the "inner circle".

The evolution of altruism

Although the term itself is relatively young, its meaning is related to other concepts: love for one's neighbor, mercy. The problem of finding virtue has occupied people since pre-Christian times. The first ideas of the phenomenon are described as early as the time of Aristotle. Roman poet and statesman Seneca called deeds for the good of others a good deed. Seneca also divided good deeds into three categories: necessary, useful, pleasant.

The term "altruism" as a separate definition was first introduced by the French philosopher and sociologist Auguste Comte(1798-1857). Although altruism and selfishness are two antonyms, according to Comte's theory, these are complementary, but not mutually exclusive properties of human nature. These two concepts are constantly competing with each other, altruism only subjugates, but never wins selfishness. Under the guise of selfless service, the philosopher united three concepts: devotion, reverence, kindness. And he considered compassion, pity to be synonymous with the concept.

Later, Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) supplemented the description of the term with other synonyms: justice, generosity, generosity. In addition to love and charity, Spencer considered active political struggle for other people's interests, missionary activity, as altruism. Charles Darwin (1809-1882) associated altruism with self-sacrifice, but considered it a life-threatening occupation. Death for Darwin was the logical conclusion of altruistic or noble human behavior.

Help to the helpless, which manifests itself in sympathy, the desire to patronize, comfort, care.
Help in times of danger.
Distribution of food, tools.
Help or improve the lives of the sick, the elderly, children.

Altruism in religion

In the dictionary of Christianity, altruism is a moral principle, according to which the well-being of other people is considered more significant than one's own "I". Altruistic behavior is explained by love for one's neighbor, and not by simple duty. In Christianity, altruists are often called saints. For example, we can recall the description of the life and actions of the protector of children, St. Nicholas, or the patron saint of all lovers, St. Valentine.

Boundless altruism is the basis of Buddhist teachings. This definition is always emphasized in his speeches by the spiritual leader of the followers of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama XIV. Moreover, it is important to show an altruistic attitude at the global and family level. The Dalai Lama XIV considers a smile to be the main indicator of a merciful attitude towards others. If the smile is sincere, comes from compassion, it calms you and those around you.

In Islam, an altruistic call is perceived as an incentive to self-sacrifice, endless patience, kindness, and care. Islam does not devalue the desire to take care of oneself. To help others (morally, emotionally, financially), you need to consider your own capabilities and needs. After all, helping others without taking care of yourself does not always end well.

Types of altruism

Sociologists distinguish between heroic and everyday altruism. The heroic manifests itself during wars, natural disasters, or in emergency situations. The stories of heroes who save strangers from robbers or carry children out of fires get into the newspapers and remain at the hearing. But there is less dramatic everyday altruism, when kindness is manifested daily, in small deeds.

There are several variants of everyday altruism:

Parental. The most understandable and obvious kind of self-sacrifice, characteristic of most living beings.
Mutual. It manifests itself in long-term friends or lovers who care for each other in the belief that they will be helped in the same way.
Moral. A person simply gets high at the sight of other people's happiness. The best example of working for the benefit of others is volunteering.
Demonstrative. An example of such philanthropy is billionaire philanthropists who donate money to hospitals or schools in front of cameras.
Empathetic. This is a manifestation of empathy, when a person mentally puts himself in the place of the needy and understands the bitterness of his situation.
Situational. This is self-sacrifice in a special psychological state under the influence of religious preaching, imitation of the behavior of other people.
Compensatory. Even Sigmund Freud in his works described altruism as compensation for feelings of guilt, when a person compensates for his anxiety with sacrificial behavior.

Global altruism

Philanthropy and charity

Almsgiving was considered the oldest form of charity, but today philanthropy has become a huge industry. Contemporary philanthropists Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Oprah Winfrey have changed the nature of philanthropy. New philanthropists do not seek to buy yachts or sports clubs. They want to see their names on the facades of schools, hospitals, museums, research centers. Humanitarian awards are given for charity. For example, in 2012, Oprah Winfrey received the Gene Hersholt Award for her humanitarian and charitable work.

Many people help financially and organize charitable foundations throughout the country, city, region. They raise money for new equipment for a medical center, educate others about the needs of a nursing home, or organize hospices. Such people do not call themselves philanthropists, but "social activists."

Effective altruism

Effective altruism is a young social movement, which includes young, socially active people. The followers of the movement do not give away their money, but spend their energy, knowledge and time, looking for the most effective ways to make the world a better place. They are more pragmatic than dreamers. The philosophy behind the movement is that we use evidence and reasoning to find the most effective ways to make the world a better place. The main assistance is directed to organizations that help residents of the poorest, disadvantaged countries.

Communities of effective altruists today exist in most universities in the world. They are engaged in volunteer work, donation, the fight against global poverty. They also help students find professions that bring the greatest benefit to the world. Followers of the movement say that effective kindness helps to improve the lives of others, while filling your own life with meaning.

Volunteer work

The work of a volunteer is a conscious and regular help to people without expectation of remuneration. Caring for each other makes it possible to survive in times of war, after natural disasters, in times of illness or need. People come to volunteering for various reasons: at the call of the soul, in order to forget after a bereavement, out of a desire to simply help people. There are several areas of volunteering: social, sports, cultural, environmental, donor, event. You can engage in activities at home or move to another country.

The first place in terms of the number of volunteers is occupied by the United Nations. Volunteering at the UN is an opportunity to promote the ideas of peace and development in more than 150 countries. Many use volunteer work to improve their language practice and make friends. In addition, volunteering at the UN is a great start to career development, because employers value mutual assistance skills and thinking outside the box.

5 facts about altruism

Neuroscientists have established that the need for selfless deeds, help, empathy, is genetically inherent in us. There is a method of magnetic stimulation of the cerebral cortex, after which egoistic impulses are blocked, changing human behavior. But to what extent it is necessary to muffle egoistic thoughts is not yet clear. While the magnetic equipment is at the stage of improvement, you can find out how philosophers, sociologists and psychologists decipher readiness for disinterested help.

Helping others is great if it is done consciously. Helping others selflessly improves your physical and emotional well-being in the here and now. But the expectation of instant gain reduces the pleasure of doing it. Selfless help is a daily work and the most difficult practice.
Long term investment. Altruistic behavior has a cumulative effect and is best described by the phrase "do good to others and it will come back to you a hundredfold." To put it differently, this is the law of a boomerang, according to which good, good deeds return to us.
You can donate more than just money. When we talk about donation, we often mean money or things. But true self-sacrifice involves "internal costs": pacification of pride, overcoming disgust, the ability to manage one's emotions
Too much altruism is bad. Excessive selflessness leads to sad consequences. Caring for others without caring for yourself can cause emotional burnout, resentment, and a decrease in mood. And those around them relax and begin to treat the person who cares about them with consumerism.
Help yourself. According to statistics, participants in voluntary actions are less prone to bad mood and depression. In return for our help, we get the meaning of life, personal growth, fill life with new emotions and sensations.

findings

Altruism is when you do something for another, without your own benefit.
Sociologists call self-sacrifice an essential element of social behavior. Without sacrifice, readiness to help others, the survival of society is impossible.
In the ratio of altruism and egoism, a reasonable balance is important, which helps to preserve oneself and build relationships with others.
Helping others can be more than just financial. You can waste your time and knowledge.
The UN is the largest volunteer organization with about a billion volunteers.

In the modern world, there is a stereotype that people have long forgotten what kindness and disinterested help to one's neighbor are. Everyone wants to get a benefit and is not ready to commit selfless acts.

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

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

Egoists and altruists are equally mistaken, because the goal of a person is to serve world harmony.
Absalom Underwater

The main character traits of an altruist

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

Altruists also have innate modesty and do not like to talk much about themselves, they prefer to listen.

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

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

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

Altruists are very honest people. They always keep their promises and do not waste words. From such people one should not expect betrayal and setup.

Directions of altruism

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

The main types of areas of altruism are:

Altruism of parents

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

Some parents in an effort to raise a decent person go too far. They believe that you need to put your whole life on the altar of education.

Moral altruism

Such people strive to please society.

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

empathic altruism

These altruists wholly devote themselves and their lives to any person.

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

Altruism from feelings of sympathy

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

Usually this kind of altruism is observed in or strong friendships.

Benefits of Altruism

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

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

First of all, in the soul 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 on this path.
Altruism also provides an opportunity for self-development and disclosure of internal potential. Many people who find themselves in altruism do things that are not characteristic of them for the sake of other people or society.

It is said that altruists are very rich people. But their wealth lies not in the size of their material condition, but in the depths of their soul.

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 purposes, for profit or other benefits. Therefore, often people are afraid to do good and selfless deeds. Altruists often remain misunderstood.

The main disadvantages of altruism are:

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

Sometimes for an altruist, his own life is worth nothing compared to 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 engage in selfish behavior may stick to 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.

In such a situation, it helps to make at least one disinterested act. But to do this is not so easy even for an ordinary person, not to mention inveterate egoists. So what does it take to become an altruist?

First of all, altruism is a huge work on oneself and self-education. You can start small and gradually move on to big things. For example, you can give alms to the needy on the street or take the old woman across the road.

Having received the first satisfaction from gratuitous help, it will be easier and easier to do good deeds in the future.

Being attentive to people is a great option to become an altruist. A person who knows how to understand the interests and feel the concerns of other people follows the path of altruism. First of all, you should take care of your family and friends.

It is also a great start to participate in various charity events as a volunteer. There you can not only provide all possible, disinterested help, but also find support and understanding of the same altruists.

Truly kind acts can make this world a better place. In addition, they bring the person who makes them a good mood and positive.

Conclusion

An altruist is a truly happy person who gives his happiness to others.. But it is very important to find a middle ground between such different concepts as altruism and selfishness.

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

Perhaps everyone has a bit of an altruist, even if he does not know about it.
Veronica Roth. Divergent

Remember what kind and selfless deeds you have done in your life? Have you experienced moral satisfaction at the same time?