Society/Culture Why are we so selfish?

[JackOutback]

capitalism

Symptom, not a cause.

 

[radiojake]

I guess there is an argument to say that

 

[Major Colvin]

Interesting thing is perspective. Agree with what Mofra said about relatability. Many westerners such as myself can not begin to percieve dying in a flood (or any other natural disaster for that matter) - but particularly these now almost "third-world disasters" - famine, plague, war - most of us haven't experienced them, cannot really perceive them no matter how many films we watch, books we read. Even to watch a two minute segment about scores of death in one country, before moving on the the next, is a bizarre experience we have become to which we've become de-sensitised.

It's obviously in humans best interests to be slightly selfish, but they also need to cooperate. That's what, in theory anyway, makes capitalism such an attractive social ideology. Our inate selfishness is channelled towards a wider good, as Adam Smith opined. Compete, produce, consume, repeat. Social media is the ultimate modern user interface designed towards humans' inate narcissism, as a platform for business to retrieve all their information and keep them spending (and business producing). Say what you will about all the negative by-products of a mixed-capitalist society, we are unlikely to die in famines, civil wars, epidemics and deaths from lack of basic infrastructure. I'd venture to say that all the great inventors and innovators over history were driven first by selfish ambition to produce something better than their predecessors. And if it's better, people will want it buy it, to better themselves. It's an ever-expanding cycle of selfish cooperation, of sorts.

So a person cannot really have empathy for people with whom they do not relate. Not real empathy. It's really only because many of us have grown up vaccinated, educated, employable, credit-worthy, insurable, in energy, wi-fi abundant workplaces and homes that we can even pay attention (in real time no less) and have time to contemplate (and for some, being at the forefront to providing technical solutions to) the problems countries on other continents.

 

[tony dragun]

While we sit here and debate the 'rise' of Antinazis and neo-fascists in the US or how homosexuals will turn into the Pied Piper if given the opportunity to marry, flooding has displaced millions in Bangladesh, Nepal and India, alongside 250 deaths in the space of a few days.

Stop fretting and just look after your own brood. No one else is really going to give a flying about yours.

Simple really.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Personality at the individual level (I only do things that I see a benefit to myself or those I care about).
May stem partly from atheist belief too.

I guess at a national level countries behave in a similar way