Birthday celebrations
We had a small birthday party at home today. One of my closest family members had a significant birthday and we spent time as a family having a joyous time enjoying the day - cake, food, wishes, cards, $$$, hugs all followed.
But, as I sit down to write this, there is a nagging question in me that keeps going around. Am I being selfish by just doing this and not being altruistic enough? I love my family to pieces - don’t get me wrong. But, is this love based on the fact that I am encoded to be like that? Or am I truly going overboard in my love for my family, because I made a choice to do so? (Is it free will?) — I know, I know. You say that love doesn’t need to be dichotomous or either-or.
So, one thing led to another, and I spent some time reading about the various types of altruism - from a biological perspective, from a moral perspective, and the various concepts of altruism in nature. Well, I did not get an answer, but a variety of answers. But, it still leaves me in the same place. How and when am I going to look to be truly altruistic beyond myself and my small circles that I am in - family, select friends, select folks at work, select people I know on LinkedIn or Meetups?
When will I truly invite a stranger to have dinner with me? Or at least a cup of coffee, maybe?
I also read about the paradox of altruism in the bats that will not survive if they did not get sufficient blood to feed on within a specified time. Perhaps, is the COVID-19 virus altruistic too in its ability to spread and survive? Perhaps, we need to find a way to whittle down its effects and the ability to kill people. Then, perhaps we can allow it to spread and co-exist with us humans and even use it to our benefit in some way?
Sources:
Altruism - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism
Altruism (ethics) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism_(ethics)
Altruism (biology) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altruism_(biology)
The Paradox Of Altruism - https://www.wired.com/2012/02/the-paradox-of-altruism/
