Are We Inherently Self-Interested?

We regard altruism, forgiveness, and humility as [a few of] the most noble qualities one can possess. These selfless characteristics are signs of psychological maturity — ones we work to develop and refine over life.

Parents instruct children at a young age that the rewards one reaps from putting others first are, while not immediately apparent [a child shares half of her orange and therefore can enjoy less food], more bountiful [a child shares half of her orange and develops a lasting friendship].

This suggests it is not in our nature to put others’ interests first — it is a learned trait. In turn, the process of learning how to lead a rich life is the process of learning how to become as interested in others as we are in ourselves.