Has anyone here ever witnessed a truly altruistic act?

Question

If so, what was it and why do you believe it was truly altruistic?

B.B. - Interesting, never thought of that one!

Jadore7 - have you witnessed Jesus performing altruistic acts??? How old are you then?
No, I have not got kids, but in my experience (of being a kid!) my parents were not altruistic in any way, shape or form! But I bow to your experience in that one, thanks.

Answer 1

I once rescued a young girl from a large group of bullies. The result was I got set upon, and suffered for a year afterwards, before I moved from the area.

Thankfully my friend was left alone after that.

This was when I was 16.

Answer 2

I never have witnessed one, just heard about a few here and there.

I'd say that the guy who jumped down to shield the fallen guy from the subway train which passed over them both was truly altruistic. I do not know too many people who would willing do that when they know the train is coming.

Answer 3

Generally..... no.

False altruism is easily practiced by anyone whose beliefs essentially command them to be altruistic.... or who are altruistic through fear of cosequence if they aren't.
Consider primarily that true altruism works against the biological imperitive, and would thus be evolutionarily selected against. Note in addition to this that one's ability to be of use to others is entirely dependant on one's own wellbeing, thus you cannot serve others without your own needs being seen to..... so altruism cannot work unless it is 100% reciprocated.


I would imagine the only places where total altruism might have a hope of existing are in such establishments as monastaries, where such lines of thought and action can be programmed so thoroughly into an individual that they become second nature and the cause behind them can be forgotten.

Answer 4

I carry a case of Dinty Moore stew in the truck.... give cans of it to people hitching or holding signs saying they're hungry.

I see this as truly altruistic, don't much care what anyone else believes my reasons might be.

Answer 5

How could you judge that?
Men do many apparently self sacrificial things for selfish motives. Sometimes it is pure ego.

"If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." I Corinthians 13:3

the same man who wrote the above also wrote this:

" I wish I could help my Jewish brothers and sisters, my people. I would even wish that I were cursed and cut off from Christ if that would help them."
Romans 9:3 NCV

Answer 6

Yes, my grandmother gives her time and efforts to all of us grandkids. She is a pensioner, yet she lives her life frugally, and on my birthday every year she sends me a card with fifty dollars in it, to "help out with the budget." She also sent me fifty dollars when it wasn't my birthday with a little letter saying, "Hard times ahead. Use this money to build up your food storage." She cares. She doesn't get anything in return (I rarely even thank her for it... but she keeps doing it). That is pure altruism.

P.S. I don't thank her because it keeps slipping my mind, but I do feel very grateful to her, and respect her deeply. She is a very strong, dedicated, self-reliant woman. I think self-reliant people have the ability to be truly altruistic.

Answer 7

As close as things can get to altruistic, the people who have come to help the Gulf Coast after Katrina...it has been something!!!

Answer 8

my dad sacrifices quite a bit to support a couple of families in india.he dosent talk about it, but my mom will tell us every once in a while what hes been up to.
recently i asked to see some of his indian artifact collection, namely his most prized pieces. it was then that i found out(through considerable prying), that my dad had sold his collection to pay fora well to be dug to supply a family and thier neighborhood with water.
this is the second well he has paid for over the years. the first was an irrigation well, this one needed to much deeper, and was considerably more costly.he has also paid for several building projects, and surgeries for various people.
btw, my parents are of average income.

Answer 9

Yeah, but I hate to brag...

Last winter, a guy on the freeway lost control and went off road, slamming into a tree broadside - it bent his car so bad, the doors wouldnt open, and the car burst into flames. Without so much as thinking about it, I slammed on the brakes, jumped out of my car, ran down the hill and with my jacket over my fist, punched out his drivers side window and pulled him out by his feet - he was kicking the window out, which is why his feet were easily reachable to me.

It all happened so fast - yet it was in slow motion. I could see this guy, frigtened look on his face, with flames licking the passenger seat and him frantically trying to get out of hte car. Scared the sh!t out of me. I didnt know him, I could have died in a resulting explosion - but none of that occurred to me. All I could think of was saving that poor guy from burning to death.

Once the police arrived, I left... No heroism, no newspaper interviews. I didnt feel like a hero afterwards. I felt like I did the right thing - and I hope that anyone else would do the same...

Answer 10

As an egoist, I'd say no. Even if the only motivation is to avoid guilt or seek the pleasure of having done the "right thing", it's not true altruism.