Who is an Altruist? What is altruism? What does altruistic mean?

To understand the phenomenon of altruism, it is easiest to cite the opposite concept - egoism. Indeed, altruism and egoism are concepts that are always found side by side; they are often cited as an example in order to strengthen and brighten the meaning and principle of one of them.

And if egoists are considered people of not the best qualities, condemning their indifference to others, then altruistic behavior evokes admiration, joy and many other positive emotions in people.

After all, an altruist is a person who will help everyone, extend his reliable hand in difficult times, and will not leave you in trouble. He is not indifferent to the grief of others, and the problems of others are sometimes more important to him than his own. It is to him that people rush for help or even simple advice, knowing that this wonderful person will not turn away.

And the opposite of altruism, human egoism, is often considered a vice and condemned. However, sometimes altruism is confused with mercy, kindness, or even simple weakness. But in fact, it has some features, including:

Selflessness - a person does his good exclusively for free, without expecting anything in return.
Priority - other people's interests are always placed in primary place relative to personal interests.
Sacrifice is the willingness to sacrifice one’s money, time, pleasure, etc. for the sake of others.
Voluntariness - only a conscious and voluntary choice can be considered altruism.
Satisfaction – a person derives joy and satisfaction from sacrificing for others without feeling disadvantaged.
Responsibility - a person is ready to bear it by doing certain things.

The main principle of altruism, as defined by psychologist and philosopher Auguste Comte, is to live for the sake of people, and not for oneself. Such a person is selfless and does not expect anything in return when he does a good deed. He is not characterized by an egoistic type of behavior; he does not put his career, personal development, or any of his other interests first. Altruism can be an innate quality of character in a person, it can be acquired intentionally, or it can manifest itself over the years, and at any age.

Types and examples

Altruism involves selfless help, sacrifice and living for humanity. But there are a variety of types of altruism, which can complement each other, combined in one person, or can exist separately:

1. Moral (or moral). Such a person does good deeds for the sake of a feeling of inner peace and moral satisfaction. He helps poor people, is involved in active volunteer work, takes care of animals, participates in various social programs, doing a lot of selfless good.

2. Parental. This altruistic type is characteristic of many mothers, sometimes also fathers, and it manifests itself in sacrifice for the good of the children. This behavior is habitual and natural, but irrational. The mother is ready to give her life and all benefits for the sake of the child, she lives for him, forgetting about her own interests.

3. Social altruism is a type of behavior in which a person tries to show selfless support and help loved ones, that is, friends, family members, and people from close circles fall under the scope of his help.

4. The demonstrative type of altruism is a behavior scenario that is carried out not consciously, but because “it’s necessary.”

5. Sympathetic - perhaps the rarest type. Such a person knows how to empathize, acutely senses the pain of others and understands what others feel. Therefore, he always strives to help, to improve someone’s situation, and, which is typical, he always brings what he starts to the end, not limiting himself to partial help.

It is also characteristic that altruistic behavior often lasts longer in women than in men. Altruistic men are prone to spontaneous “outbursts” of goodness and mercy; they can commit a heroic act, risking their lives, while a woman will prefer to take responsibility for someone for many years, giving her life for another. However, this is only a statistical feature, not a rule, and examples of altruism vary widely.

There are many such examples in history. Among them, spiritual personalities especially stand out - Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Mother Teresa - the list goes on for a long time. They gave their lives from beginning to end to selfless service to people. Can you imagine that, for example, Buddha had some personal interests of his own?

On the way to perfection

Now, inspired by the examples, everyone will want to know how to become an altruist, what needs to be done for this? But before moving on to this issue, it is worth first clearly understanding whether it is good to be one hundred percent altruistic, whether there are disadvantages and hidden nuances to this quality, and what psychology says about this.

Most often, people who consider such a quality as selfishness to be vicious and bad deliberately strive for altruism. But if you think about what altruism and egoism are, it becomes clear that both of these qualities are to some extent natural and present in every personality.

Healthy egoism, shown in moderation, will not cause any harm and, on the contrary, is even necessary. Thinking about your own interests, protecting them, taking care of yourself, striving for benefits, development and personal growth, understanding your desires and respecting them - are these the qualities of a bad person? On the contrary, it characterizes a strong and conscious personality. Where did such a negative attitude towards selfishness come from?

Most often, a person who strives for his own good is condemned by people like him, but those who expect some kind of help from him (although he, in fact, is not obliged). Not getting what he expected, they begin to condemn him. And if this happens at an early age, when the personality and psyche are just being formed, then the result is obvious - the person blocks healthy egoism in himself, considering it a vice, and begins to live to his own detriment.

Of course, selfishness to the extreme does not bring anything good, because an absolutely selfish person is simply antisocial. But this should not mean that taking care of your interests is bad. So, the opposite of selfless altruism, in fact, does not contain anything vicious or bad.

And, since extremes are bad in everything, then altruistic behavior in the extreme degree of its manifestation is not necessarily holiness. Before becoming an altruist and rushing to help those in need, it is worth understanding your motives. Selfless service to the world and humanity must be precisely selfless, and this is not so easy. There are a number of hidden motives that psychology notes in manifestations of intentional altruism. In other words, this is the goal for which a person tries to do good deeds:

Self confidence. By helping others, a person gains confidence in his abilities and feels that he can do something. It has been noticed that it is for others that a person is able to do more than for himself.
Making amends for bad deeds. Sometimes people who are interested in altruism are those who have either done a serious bad deed, or have not lived entirely correctly for a long time and have caused a lot of pain to other people. It is very good if a person has come to such changes, but it is worth realizing that in this case you need to completely change yourself, and not count bad and good deeds, as if paying off your own conscience.
Manifestation and assertion of oneself in society. If altruism has negative examples, then this is the case. Such a person demonstratively does good, and if he donates or engages in charity, he attracts as many witnesses as possible. Altruism, by definition, has nothing to do with self-interest, so such behavior is far from true sacrifice.
Manipulation of people. Another negative example of how a person does good deeds for his own selfish purposes. He helps relatives and friends, does a lot for friends, is ready to help, but with the goal of manipulating them and receiving respect, dependence, and love in return.

The only goal, perhaps, that can be subconsciously pursued by a true altruist is a feeling of happiness and harmony with the world and with oneself. After all, even the meaning of the word “altruist” itself comes from “other,” that is, a person who thinks about others, so what kind of self-interest can we talk about!

And the desire to be happy is a natural and healthy desire that is characteristic of every harmonious, developing personality. And the best part is that altruistic behavior actually brings a feeling of happiness!

How can we begin to change, what rules of true altruism should we learn so as not to go to extremes, not to forget about our own interests, but at the same time receive happiness from helping others? The main thing is voluntariness and the absence of a clear plan. Just help someone in need, do it secretly without showing your achievement, and feel inner satisfaction. There are so many who need help!

You don't have to be rich to help. After all, in altruism, warm words of support, empathy, and attention matter. The most valuable thing you can sacrifice is your time! Don't forget about your loved ones. It is a very sad situation in which a person actively and fanatically helps the homeless, animals and the poor, spending all his time on this, while at home the family suffers from the lack of his attention. Give your soul to people, give yourself, and you will be surprised how much inner light you have, and how much you get by giving! Author: Vasilina Serova

Hello, dear readers! Increasingly, a person thinks about moral values, his behavior, and how others see him. From these reflections the question comes: who is an altruist? A person who sacrifices himself for others. What can such behavior lead to, and how to find the ideal balance of altruistic and egoistic qualities in yourself.

What can altruism lead to?

Selfless waste of oneself for the sake of others is not such a grace as it might seem at first glance. I'll give you an example of one of my clients. She is a person who always tries to do good for everyone around her, regardless of her desires and condition.

When she became very ill, her husband asked her to go to the store for “beer.” On the street, a woman became dizzy and fainted. Fortunately, kind passers-by sat her down on a bench, helped her come to her senses, and gave her water to drink. The woman nevertheless sent for beer for her husband. At work, colleagues constantly dump their responsibilities on her, go home early, and she sits until she finishes all her work and the work of others.

What does this behavior mean? She, to the detriment of her own desires, and sometimes her health, tries to do good to others. As a result, the woman came to me in a terrible physical and emotional state. She was completely devastated, constantly stressed, saw no purpose in life and did not understand who was simply taking advantage of her kindness.

Altruistic traits are characteristic of people who have, and through helping others they try to make themselves better. But in pursuit of imaginary happiness, people can go so far that they can no longer extricate themselves.

Altruism is often contrasted with selfishness. But is the difference between them really that big?

What is the difference between selfishness and altruism?

How many examples of famous altruists do you know? No. Why? Because the concept of altruism lies in selflessness. This means that a true altruist will not brag about his good deeds. He will not ask for rewards for his behavior, will not expect honors, fame and approval from others.

But the trouble is, many people under altruism hide the desire to please people, to be a worthy and decent member of society, to appear highly moral. All this has nothing to do with selflessness and real help to others.

Egoism, in my opinion, is a little more honest in this regard than altruism. A selfish person is always visible, he does not hide it, he honestly and directly says that he puts his desires and principles above others.

The true reason for an altruist’s behavior is not always clear. Although many so-called altruists truly enjoy helping.

An altruist is a person who does not always understand the true motives of his behavior. This means that by doing this, he hopes for one result, but in the end it turns out the opposite.

Golden mean

In the matter of altruism and selfishness, it is very important to find a middle ground for yourself. Healthy relationships between people mean that everyone benefits from communication. Altruism and selfishness can simultaneously be qualities of one person, but they are in such a balance that allows a person not to do bad things to others and confidently move towards his goals.

You should not think that selfless help to others is an exceptional benefit, and the desire to achieve one’s own is inhumanly evil. If you find boundaries where you are at peace with others and yourself, then you can live a happy and free life.

By subordinating yourself to the desires of others, you lose your life, you do not work for yourself, you become a slave. Showing selfless help is good and useful, but only in the right and healthy way.

If you feel an imbalance in yourself, those around you are constantly taking advantage of you, and you just can’t get out of this vicious circle, then consult a psychologist. It will help you determine the boundaries of truly helping others and sabotaging yourself. He will tell you how you can correct the situation and find that golden mean that will allow you to build healthy relationships with others and confidently achieve your goals.

I think you might find the following articles useful: “” and “”.

In addition, if you are not so well versed in the concepts, then be sure to read Pavel Simonov’s book “ About altruists and egoists", there you can find a lot of useful and interesting information.

Remember balance!

Silverless, philanthropist, Papa Carlo, selfless Dictionary of Russian synonyms. altruist selfless (obsolete) Dictionary of synonyms of the Russian language. Practical guide. M.: Russian language. Z. E. Alexandrova. 2011… Synonym dictionary

ALTRUIST, altruist, husband. (book). A person guided in his behavior by the rules of altruism. Ushakov's explanatory dictionary. D.N. Ushakov. 1935 1940 … Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

altruist- a, m. altruiste adj. 1863. Lexis. One who is characterized by altruism. BAS 2. Lately we have even managed to be altruists in the chords of music. 1913. Abeldyaev Shadow 15. Lex. Ush. 1934: altrui/st... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

altruist- ALTRUIST1, a, m A person who strives to show mercy, kindness in his actions, selflessly cares about the welfare of others and is ready to sacrifice his personal interests for others; Ant.: egoist. // f altruist, and, pl. current, date tkam... ... Explanatory dictionary of Russian nouns

A person who shows altruism in his actions. New dictionary of foreign words. by EdwART, 2009. altruist a, m., soul. (French altruiste). A person distinguished by altruism; opposite egoist. Altruistic relating to an altruist, altruists... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

M. One who is characterized by altruism. Ephraim's explanatory dictionary. T. F. Efremova. 2000... Modern explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Efremova

Altruist, altruists, altruist, altruists, altruist, altruists, altruist, altruists, altruist, altruists, altruist, altruists (Source: “Complete accentuated paradigm according to A. A. Zaliznyak”) ... Forms of words

- ... Wikipedia

Selfish... Dictionary of antonyms

altruist- altru ist, and... Russian spelling dictionary

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Character

What is altruism? Every person intuitively understands this definition. We have all heard about people who, having managed to give up the possession of many material goods, devoted their lives to serving others. A person who has chosen altruism as his main lifestyle usually takes responsibility for what is happening and sincerely wants to help those around him. He already ceases to reason based on personal gain, as well as forgets about individual aspirations. True selflessness is born only in an open and caring heart.

Altruism is the desire of a person to live for the well-being of others. The term altruism was introduced in the 18th century by the philosopher François Xavier Comte. He argued that only altruism makes a person stronger, elevates him above circumstances.

Theories of altruism

When talking about theories of altruism, one should take into account the fact that each of them is based on a different approach to life. All theories in a certain way reveal an inextricable connection with each other.

Evolutionary theory

Based on the concept of gradual moral growth of a person. According to this theory, a person gets the opportunity to grow and develop spiritually only in a situation where his inner nature is involved and revealed in selfless service to others. Evolutionary theory states that the more educated people become, the more real benefits they can bring to society. A cultured person has every chance to achieve moral enlightenment and transformation of the soul.

Social exchange theory

This theory suggests that every person, when planning to perform a particular action, first mentally analyzes his own advantages. The theory of social exchange consists in accepting mutual comfortable conditions of existence: by helping one’s neighbor, a person has reason to hope that one day he will not be left without attention and participation.

Social norms theory

This theory assumes that a person acting selflessly has no right to expect a response to his kindness because society would not approve of such behavior. The theory of social norms teaches to act according to conscience, based only on ethical and moral beliefs.

Types of altruism

Based on the definition of altruism, we can identify its main types. Types of altruism are aimed at identifying the components of selfless service in different life circumstances.

It lies in the unconscious need of every parent to take care of their child. Father and mother are often forced to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the future happiness and well-being of the baby. If their love were not selfless, we could not talk about altruism. Parental love is not limited by anything: it does not judge, does not seek its own benefit, and does not force one to take the position of a “debtor.” Many people take this type of altruism for granted, and therefore do not consider it something unusual or out of the ordinary.

Moral altruism

Here we are talking about such highly moral actions that change a person’s consciousness: they awaken in him gratitude, openness, desire to be useful, not dependent on one’s own mood. Moral ideals are strongly associated with social attitudes and service to people. This type of selfless help is based on social beliefs. It is a social institution that sometimes dictates to an individual how he should live, where to direct his individual efforts.

Empathic altruism

This type of noble manifestation of the best qualities of a person’s character is based on the spiritual need to be understood and heard. Only those who know how listen and support in difficult times, can claim to be called the best friend and noble comrade. This type of holistic dedication to another person allows the soul to truly open up and achieve complete mutual understanding with near and dear people.

Examples of altruism

Here it would be reasonable to give significant characteristics of altruism, examples of moral actions of an individual that make it possible to determine the truth of the good intentions of a person striving to do good.

Gratuitousness is the main example of altruism. A true altruist, giving care and warmth to those around him, never thinks about what result this action will have for him personally. Such a person is ready to selflessly share his thoughts, aspirations, mood, and opportunities with those around him. Material goods are, as a rule, of little importance to him. Selfless dedication makes him recognizable in the eyes of society. An altruist never demands anything in return. He is ready to selflessly help those in need and listen to the desires of other people. At the same time, such a person, as a rule, remembers himself and his own needs last. He is often bypassed when it comes to promotions, whether it comes to money or gratitude.

Sacrifice

Another example is renunciation of personal benefits. An altruist gets used to sacrificing his interests, giving up his own desires for the sake of the happiness and well-being of loved ones. Sometimes it seems that he himself does not need anything. Sacrifice is formed in the character of a person who has made altruism an integral part of his life. Sacrifice manifests itself in everything and is especially strong in relationships with others. An altruist thinks first about others, and then about his own personality. However, the turn “about yourself” may not come at all: you can always find someone in need of help and consolation. Sacrifice gradually becomes a habit for those who live in the interests of their children, parents, and work colleagues. A person who has freedom of choice consciously refuses to live for himself and directs his attention to the needs of his immediate environment.

Responsibility

An altruistic mood always involves acceptance full responsibility for your actions and actions. It is impossible to imagine an altruist as selfish, not realizing why he does all his good intentions. Responsibility arises when a person realizes that he can really help someone. This example demonstrates how altruism changes personality.

Mental satisfaction

A person who has cultivated an altruistic principle in himself, as a rule, begins to experience significant spiritual uplift. This is an example of how beneficial it is to develop an inclination to serve others. Having achieved a state of mental satisfaction, he gets the opportunity to remain satisfied with life, perform pious deeds, and fully control his actions. A person feels happiness when he has the opportunity to share joy.

Thus, altruism is the natural state of a person who has discovered his natural generosity and desire to be useful to others.

Increasingly, the serial heroes of our time are misanthropes like Doctor House (like the modern Sherlock Holmes) and other selfish individuals.

But films are rarely made about altruists - they look like too positive characters. What is altruism? Who are altruists?

The main principle of life for a true altruist is selflessness in any action, helping others and refusing to pursue one’s own goals and interests.

They are ready to sacrifice their career, and life in general, for the sake of a good and just cause. The philosopher Auguste Comte aptly summarized the rules of altruism in three words: “Live for others.”

Altruism combines the principles of love, mercy, respect and justice, however, it itself is much broader than all these specific requirements.

A person is ready to give up personal interest for the sake of public interest, and serve it for the good.

How can I help you?

Sometimes such compassionate people choose a couple of specific objects for help - aging parents, an alcoholic husband or sick friends who need constant care.

Or they fight for world peace and try to capture as many targets as possible, even if they are unfamiliar.

They organize their own funds to help everyone in need - from homeless animals to seriously ill people - and donate almost all their money, energy and time.

Altruists are confident that anyone can make a contribution to the general well-being, even if it’s a modest one.. Someone will take a kitten from the street into their home instead of a purebred Briton with model appearance, and another will donate a million.

Many media people - actors, singers, TV presenters - use their popularity for the benefit of others. They organize their own funds, send part of their fees to them and try to draw attention to the problems of society through the media.

Examples include Konstantin Khabensky, Chulpan Khamatova, and Natalya Vodianova.

Altruism, egoism, selfishness

If you still don't understand what altruism is, just think of any selfish person you know. Imagine it in front of you and try to describe it.

Now imagine a person who is the exact opposite of this - thinking only about others and not caring about himself.

Sometimes the actions of these two antipodes can be similar. Even a hyper-egocentric person can talk about the needs of humanity and his concern about the war in a particular country. The problem is that there is always a selfish intention behind the actions of an egoist.

He goes above and beyond and achieves his goals at the expense of others. An altruist is selfless, at least he is sincerely confident of this (even though he is sometimes mistaken).

Don’t think that these are the black and white sides of the same coin, evil and good. Not at all. Both can bring both benefit and harm - both to themselves and to others. Both types are unbalanced and imperfect in many ways, as many psychotherapists believe.

There is also a third type of people - the “golden mean” - they are characterized by healthy egotism and they are the majority today.

They quite soberly assess their intentions, understand their goals and needs, try to achieve what they want, but at the same time do not harm others, and, if possible, help.

The path of true altruism

Some philosophers, however, are confident that it was humanity’s ability for constructive altruism that led to the evolution and construction of modern society.

But it is important to note that an altruistic position is useful for others, for the entire gene pool, but for an individual it can be harmful.

Some people take the path of altruism not out of high spiritual motives, but simply because they want to feel needed.

They choose an object for themselves and begin to diligently save it, pull it out of the social swamp.

So, the wife of a loser and an alcoholic can sacrifice a normal life for her husband.

But is this support so selfless, or does the altruist still receive his well-deserved benefit?

Its bonus lies precisely in the feeling of one’s own need, irreplaceability and significance, in the feeling of one’s important role in the destinies of other people.

However, altruism does not always have a subconscious, selfish basis. Examples of this are the military exploits of people who sacrificed themselves to save many.

In such cases, we can safely talk about one hundred percent altruism and love for humanity.