Being selfish isn’t evil.

The Unsolvable Paradox Of Altruism

What’s In It For You?

Lori Brown, Writer
ILLUMINATION
Published in
4 min readApr 12, 2024

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Being selfish is so last season (insert sarcastic hair flip)

In philosophical discussions, the notion of selflessness often emerges as a proof of moral virtue. We praise those who perform acts of kindness without expecting anything in return and label them as altruistic.

Altruism has been a trending buzzword for many generations. FYI: If you have not read The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand — it is a very interesting peek into an assortment of characters with varying levels of altruism at their core. The book is from the 1940s so be patient with the pace.

The whole buzz around the concept of altruism had me baffled for years because I always found it ironic when someone claimed to be an altruistic person. That’s sort of the same as when someone says they are humble in an ironic moment of self-praise.

What is altruism?

According to the dictionary by Oxford Languages here is the definition of altruism.

al·tru·ism

The belief in or practice of disinterested and selfless concern for the well-being of others.

What’s in it for you?

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Lori Brown, Writer
ILLUMINATION

I'm a mom, a wife, and a playful storyteller. Voted Top Blockchain Voice on Linkedin, and voted Best Human Ever by my two dogs. #RuffLife.