Altruism: Why We Give, Why

Altruism: Why We Give, Why We Do Not Give

Human altruism presents theorists of social behavior with many paradoxes, paradoxes that can only be answered with psychological explanations of human behavior like the social-cognitive theory of altruism. Only this theory can explain why there so are examples of extreme, yet commonly shared moments of altruism, where people risk their lives to help others, while people in the same society, who are of the same species and genetic background still commit examples of extreme selfishness. One recent example of altruism is that of the firefighters and ordinary citizens that risked their health and lives to save strangers in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of September 11th in New York City.

Yet New York City's history also holds a terrible example of one of the most extreme actions of human selfishness and indifference. A young woman named Kitty Genovese was murdered outside of her apartment. People were home, heard her screams yet no one tried to extend her any meaningful assistance. This example of selfishness, or the so-called bystander effect at its most insidious can be seen on the highway everyday, as a stranded motorist waits, while cars whiz by, and everyone continues to hurry to their next appointment, hoping that the person who has stranded has a working cell phone (Lecture notes: Module Six, 2007:4-5). Social responsibility becomes so diffuse in such instances no one gave aid, while the magnitude of 9/11 made everyone want to give all they could.

Philosopher Peter Unger points out that while most people would argue that it is a moral obligation for a person to jump into a river and muddy their clothes to save a drowning child, if they are physically capable of doing so, millions refuse to give to charity. "The Envelope. In your mail, there's something from UNICEF. After reading it through you correctly believe that, unless you soon send in a check for $100, then, instead of each living many more years, over thirty more children will die soon" (Unger, 1996:9, cited by Gordon, 1998). But people throw the UNICEF envelope out and buy a new pair of shoes instead.