Causes

[El D]

How many humans do you think have committed themselves to noble and admirable causes in recent years not through self interest? Do you think that pure altruism is a possibility?

[Chillum]

good question. I think it probably is, but it's very, very unusual. The two names that immediately spring to mind are Nelson Mandella and Mahatma Gandhi, and I'm sure there are arguments against both of those suggestions. I'm sure religious sorts could come up with multitudes of examples of a life devoted to selflessness, and I suppose Jesus would surely qualify, were it fact.

On the other hand, I think we're surrounded by altruistism on a day to day basis,  i.e., in it's simplest form,  I cook for my family, I expect nothing back (other than the strengthening of my particular gene pool) . People generally don't devote their lives to it, but have enough of it within them to make society work.

[woofgang]

difficult one. People do things every day that bring them no personal or material gain, but more subtly is it ever possible to do anything for no gain at all? I can't see how there would ever be a circumstance where it didn't make you feel good or make the world more like you felt it ought to be