Previously I've shared a few of my shorter anthropology papers, this is not one of those. I seriously pondered whether or not to split this into two posts or not, and ultimately chose to do it just for sheer length. There's only so many times that you can scroll down a page before thinking "really Erin you're still talking about this???" So here's the first bit and tomorrow the exciting conclusion!
Many aspects of the world have an opposite, up has down, in has out, and so on. Even some human emotions, attitudes and characteristics have opposites. Most commonly people recognize happy versus sad. These emotions form the bases for many human attitudes, including those of altruism and brutality. More directly the question of one’s own happiness (the desired emotion) put below that of another corresponds to and results in altruistic behavior; or brutal behavior, our happiness put above another. Therefore, humans have both of these attitudes, altruism and brutality, because we seek after happiness but occasionally come to believe that the happiness and well-being of another are more important than our own happiness and safety in a particular moment.
To prove that altruism and brutality are indeed opposites a brief definition of each is in order. Four interviewees each defined altruism thus: “doing things for the benefit of others”, “genuinely invested in the well-being of others”, “selflessness, or caring for others before self”, and “selflessness and caring about others”. [1] [2] [3] [4] Therefore, for the duration of the paper we will use “putting the safety of others before self” as a general definition of altruism. The interviewees then described brutality. Defining brutality as: “excessive physical force and absence of care for others”, “aggressive anger and use of force”, “careless about others” and “physical violence”. [1] [2] [3] [4] In other words “putting the safety and happiness of self before others, often through use of physical force”, which will serve as our definition for use in this paper. Clearly all of these interviewees view altruism and brutality as opposite attitudes and behaviors, yet they also indicated that all people have these in them to some degree. [1] [2] [3] [4] Then why do we have these very opposite attitudes in each of us? Do they really come from such a basic emotion as happiness?
Each interviewee was asked to provide an example of a person or a moment when they saw altruism. Each of these examples described the joy felt by the person displaying the altruism and attributed their actions to the knowledge that they would, eventually, have that joy. [1] [2] [3] [4] Specifically Jordan Peterson and Chelsea Rosa related the following stories. Peterson told of the time that his sister wanted some marshmallow guns for an activity, but the only effort she had made to gain them was speak to her mother. Her mother then displayed altruistic actions in purchasing the necessary materials and assisting Peterson in building them, despite the plethora of activities that she also had to complete. [1] Peterson then concluded that, “the only reason she [my mother] did this was because she knew that it would make my sister happy”. [1] Rosa shared a similar story of her mother. Every Sunday Rosa’s mother takes the family vehicle and travels around the town in an attempt to pick up members of the family’s congregation who otherwise must walk miles to simply attend church meetings. [2] Rosa concluded with saying, “she [my mother] does it because she loves these people and knows that they will be happier at church”. [2] Clearly then choosing altruistic behaviors comes from the desire for others to feel joy and have their burdens lightened. Even other stories from the news illustrate a similar theme.
When speaking of his actions as reported in the Reader’s Digest article, “Heroes: Close Call in a Hotel Fire” Daniel Moreno says, “I thought of their parents back home. It motivated me.” [5] Thinking of others, that is what motivated Moreno to rush back into a burning building, clearly not a self-serving action, and attempt to save others. Further in the article “Slasher Attack” Theodore Lidgett comes to the rescue of his co-worker, who was being threatened with a knife, with no thought to his own safety. [6] The stories of heroism continue with the heroes in question citing the safety of others as their main call to action. The article on the altruistic actions of Lekithia McQueen and Vonnmetria Hamilton, and others, reports, “Lekithia McQueen and Vonnmetria Hamilton had shielded the children with their own bodies. Strong winds blew McQueen’s legs straight up in the air, and something sharp ripped her hand open, but she’d held on. She knew that if she let go, her students would be sucked into the storm.” [7] Both of these women thought first of the safety of the children, and sought to protect them from the storm despite possible, and actual, negative affects to themselves. Clearly all of these stories show that altruism stems from a desire to preserve other’s happiness and safety even at risk of one’s own safety, which fits exactly with the above definition of altruism, putting the safety of others before self. What then of brutality?
References
Many aspects of the world have an opposite, up has down, in has out, and so on. Even some human emotions, attitudes and characteristics have opposites. Most commonly people recognize happy versus sad. These emotions form the bases for many human attitudes, including those of altruism and brutality. More directly the question of one’s own happiness (the desired emotion) put below that of another corresponds to and results in altruistic behavior; or brutal behavior, our happiness put above another. Therefore, humans have both of these attitudes, altruism and brutality, because we seek after happiness but occasionally come to believe that the happiness and well-being of another are more important than our own happiness and safety in a particular moment.
To prove that altruism and brutality are indeed opposites a brief definition of each is in order. Four interviewees each defined altruism thus: “doing things for the benefit of others”, “genuinely invested in the well-being of others”, “selflessness, or caring for others before self”, and “selflessness and caring about others”. [1] [2] [3] [4] Therefore, for the duration of the paper we will use “putting the safety of others before self” as a general definition of altruism. The interviewees then described brutality. Defining brutality as: “excessive physical force and absence of care for others”, “aggressive anger and use of force”, “careless about others” and “physical violence”. [1] [2] [3] [4] In other words “putting the safety and happiness of self before others, often through use of physical force”, which will serve as our definition for use in this paper. Clearly all of these interviewees view altruism and brutality as opposite attitudes and behaviors, yet they also indicated that all people have these in them to some degree. [1] [2] [3] [4] Then why do we have these very opposite attitudes in each of us? Do they really come from such a basic emotion as happiness?
Each interviewee was asked to provide an example of a person or a moment when they saw altruism. Each of these examples described the joy felt by the person displaying the altruism and attributed their actions to the knowledge that they would, eventually, have that joy. [1] [2] [3] [4] Specifically Jordan Peterson and Chelsea Rosa related the following stories. Peterson told of the time that his sister wanted some marshmallow guns for an activity, but the only effort she had made to gain them was speak to her mother. Her mother then displayed altruistic actions in purchasing the necessary materials and assisting Peterson in building them, despite the plethora of activities that she also had to complete. [1] Peterson then concluded that, “the only reason she [my mother] did this was because she knew that it would make my sister happy”. [1] Rosa shared a similar story of her mother. Every Sunday Rosa’s mother takes the family vehicle and travels around the town in an attempt to pick up members of the family’s congregation who otherwise must walk miles to simply attend church meetings. [2] Rosa concluded with saying, “she [my mother] does it because she loves these people and knows that they will be happier at church”. [2] Clearly then choosing altruistic behaviors comes from the desire for others to feel joy and have their burdens lightened. Even other stories from the news illustrate a similar theme.
When speaking of his actions as reported in the Reader’s Digest article, “Heroes: Close Call in a Hotel Fire” Daniel Moreno says, “I thought of their parents back home. It motivated me.” [5] Thinking of others, that is what motivated Moreno to rush back into a burning building, clearly not a self-serving action, and attempt to save others. Further in the article “Slasher Attack” Theodore Lidgett comes to the rescue of his co-worker, who was being threatened with a knife, with no thought to his own safety. [6] The stories of heroism continue with the heroes in question citing the safety of others as their main call to action. The article on the altruistic actions of Lekithia McQueen and Vonnmetria Hamilton, and others, reports, “Lekithia McQueen and Vonnmetria Hamilton had shielded the children with their own bodies. Strong winds blew McQueen’s legs straight up in the air, and something sharp ripped her hand open, but she’d held on. She knew that if she let go, her students would be sucked into the storm.” [7] Both of these women thought first of the safety of the children, and sought to protect them from the storm despite possible, and actual, negative affects to themselves. Clearly all of these stories show that altruism stems from a desire to preserve other’s happiness and safety even at risk of one’s own safety, which fits exactly with the above definition of altruism, putting the safety of others before self. What then of brutality?
References
[1]
|
J. Peterson,
Interviewee, Interview on Altruism/Brutatlity. [Interview]. 7
February 2014.
|
[2]
|
C. Rosa,
Interviewee, Interview on Altruism/Brutatlity. [Interview]. 9
February 2014.
|
[3]
|
B. Hayes,
Interviewee, Interview on Altruism/Brutatlity. [Interview]. 9
February 2014.
|
[4]
|
V. Price,
Interviewee, Interview on Altruism/Brutatlity. [Interview]. 9
February 2014.
|
[5]
|
J. Tirella,
"Heroes: Close Call in a Hotel Fire," Reader's Digest, 2008.
|
[6]
|
L. Rosellini,
"Slasher Attack," Reader's Digest, 2008.
|
[7]
|
G. C. West,
"After the Tornado," Reader's Digest, 2008.
|
[8]
|
C. Free,
"Trapped on the Tracks," Reader's Digest, 2008.
|
[9]
|
R. Hoess, in Commandant
of Aushwitz, New York, The World Publishing Company, pp. 76-81;
148-157; 166-175;.
|
[10]
|
H. Jacobson,
"Ilongot Headhunting," Pacific Affairs, vol. 54, no. 3,
pp. 572-574, 1981.
|
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