#28 Reflection: Altruism Gone Wrong
We need to reconnect to the altruists in us, the selfless, genuinely supportive and compassionate human beings that we are so capable of being, the stewards that can protect the planet and life forms on Earth through supporting causes when needed and in moderation.
We have all entered an "altruistic generation", one that enforces the need to be ethical, sustainable and selfless to both individuals and bodies of power, and those that don't follow the "altruistic ways" will be attacked for failing to do so. With this strong enforcement of altruism, you would expect global issues and widespread suffering to have plummeted, but that sadly is not the case. In fact, suffering keeps increasing exponentially, every day, every hour, every second. So I ask the question, are we really in an altruistic generation?
This episode is a call for action on redefining altruism, activism and reconnecting with the compassionate and selfless human beings we are well capable of being. We need to shift away from giving so-called altruists the pedestal to glorify their actions and instead ensure impacted communities are prioritised and given essential tools (be it money or education) to be the forefront for the change they desire in their livelihoods.
Episode Structure:
- Dictionary definition of altruism and how we have strayed away from the key principles
- How individuals are being forced into supporting causes that they don't want to support/not interested in or haven't been allowed to explore the cause themselves in time
- Dangers of social media for modern-day activism, especially the nature of social trends dying down as quickly as they begun and the issue of unsustainable change (momentary)
- The need for people that attack non-famous people for not publicising their support to channelise their energy correctly into supporting the movement
- Abuse of the activism platform online through false news, misinformation and the rise of the "fake altruists" gaining public trust for their personal, material benefits
- In depth look at the saviour complex and its overlap with flawed altruism, the need to fix people and situations in usually manipulative ways, although this is usually done out of love and support by saviours both in relationships and activism
- Call to action for us to reconnect with our compassionate selves and proving moral support to others when needed and in moderation
Resources
- Healthline article on saviour complex signs
- Psychology report on altruism and selfishness
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