The myth of Selfishness
Debunking the myth of selfishness 4 points Partial Truth: The idea that people are fundamentally selfish has persisted partly because it isn't wholly false; instead, it is generally incorrect. There is a problem when we take only a portion of the truth, act as though it were the entire picture, and start building systems around it. History: The assumption that we are selfish has been in existence since human culture. It rose to prominence starting in the 1950s and continuing into the 1980s, becoming preeminent in public discourse worldwide during the Cold War. Simplicity: The human mind tends to simplify things for the sake of understanding them. This is called cognitive fluency in psychological terms. Considering ourselves as selfish simplifies the complex world problems, but sadly our experiences are challenging. Habit: We, as a generation, have been taught to look for our interests and ask questions like "what is in it for me?" This habit of thinking of ourselves make...