Survival of the Nicest

Altruism.
Where has it gone? And what is its significance in the modern world?

The concept of altruism has been studied in many fields- from both the religious and scientific realm. Evolution uses the term to describe animal behavior, in the event that one organism places the fitness of another individual before his own. Here, Darwin's "survival of the fittest" is instead replaced by "survival of the nicest"-- where the selfless prevail.

In the animal kingdom, altruism plays a role in kin selection- when individuals sacrifice themselves for relatives of their own kind.

Ground squirrels call unwanted attention to themselves when they alert others of a nearby predator, while wild turkeys will help the alpha male put his best-feather-forward during the mating season. Even plants have been found to act altruistically, with sibling plants of the genus Cakile sharing soil and space vs. aggressively fighting for room to grow.

In the spiritual world, Buddhist monks, Jewish scholars, Christian believers, & Sufist admirers have all applied altruism to their religious practice. Luke 6:31 in the Bible says to "do to others as you would have them do to you," while the Buddhist philosophy stresses the importance of love and compassion (key principles of altruism).

Sufists call this concept, īṯār, or 'preferring others to oneself'-- where complete devotion involves sacrificing one's personal wants and desires.

Jainism, an Indian religion that places a large emphasis on altruism, asserts that all living beings have a soul- that which is divine, powerful, and infinitely aware. To reach enlightenment, one must adopt a non-violent attitude, practicing compassion and humility towards oneself and others. By treating all sentient beings as equal and worthy of respect, Jainism maintains the mindset of "Ahimsa," or to live and let live.

In today's society, human beings that exhibit altruistic behavior are somewhat of an endangered species.

Instead of treating one another with love and respect, man strives to be king of the 'jungle'. He has to have the land, the job, the girl, the car, the wealth, and the prestige. Or otherwise be cast as number two-- in a society that rewards selfishness with success & values competition over compassion.

And here is where we fail.

If more people stopped asking "What's in if for me?," and started asking "How can I help?", the world would be a much kinder place. Resources could be distributed equally, unlike the current wealth allocation that favors 1% of the U.S. population. Gratification could be gained beyond materialistic goods-- from making someone smile, or lending a hand to someone in need..

Because if you ask me, personal fulfillment > personally filled pockets.

So take a note from the altruistic handbook, and DO GOOD. Love thy neighbor, and 'live and let live.' Care for the well being of others, and think about someone other than yourself. Or if you must be selfish, because you are an American afterall and that's just what we do, think about the karmic rewards to be gained..

Since heaven really is a place on Earth.