Egoistic Altruism

[Techno-Druid]

I think a lot of people want to actively improve the conditions of other humans, the environment or whatever for their own personal gain and honestly I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

[Daedius]

Think most people [online] do 'the right thing' just to feel good about themselves, and honestly not give a damn of what they fight for... e.g. the sickeningly condescending nature of SJWs.

[Deleted]

Isnt that psychological egoism?

[meheez]

Haven't watched the video but im surprised anyone would believe people aren't selfish. Perhaps the question is - how?

[Netherspark]

It's amazing how many people are actively opposed to improving other parts of the world, even when it directly benefits themselves.

[Arrkon]

It's quite a bit more complicated than throwing money at the underdeveloped nations and reap the benefits. This model only fits if everyone was playing the same game without exterior motives or conflicts.

[Techno-Druid]

It's quite a bit more complicated than throwing money at the underdeveloped nations and reap the benefits. This model only fits if everyone was playing the same game without exterior motives or conflicts.

Foreign aid can have some negative consequences in that it can stifle local businesses.

I once watched a video on American restaurants in Kenya where these Americans would set up businesses in Kenya and hire locals, eventually with some of the locals taking over. That's very similar to what happened in Meiji Japan where American and Europeans would be paid by the Japanese government to set up businesses and schools.

[Antiganon]

Foreign aid needs to be aimed at helping the people to become self sufficient, not just dropping off a shipping container of food and medical supplies once in a while.

That said, people need to eat and not catch preventable diseases so they can live long enough to learn how to set up the self sustaining things they need.

[Spectral]

I think Adam Smith got it right:

Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely.

By which he means that people want to be not only loved, but to be genuinely worthy of love. If the manifestation of that is occasionally what you call egoistic altruism (and I don't disagree), I'll take it.