Altruism as a social ideal functions as a system of “indirect reciprocity” in which no agent expects economic benefit. For the system to exist (this would, of course, be authentic “effective altruism”), the altruistic agent must receive emotional rewards, largely comparable to that of ancient compassionate religions (among which Buddhism was the first).
These emotional rewards can only occur either in the context of gratifying illusory realities (supernaturality or altered states of consciousness), or in the context of a culturally coherent human community where affectively rewarding moral values (benevolence, charity, empathy, etc.) have been internalized, of which altruism would, in turn, be the logical consequence in economic life. In this way, the system could sustain itself.
We still lack a similar cultural model… even as a prototype.
Altruism as a social ideal functions as a system of “indirect reciprocity” in which no agent expects economic benefit. For the system to exist (this would, of course, be authentic “effective altruism”), the altruistic agent must receive emotional rewards, largely comparable to that of ancient compassionate religions (among which Buddhism was the first).
These emotional rewards can only occur either in the context of gratifying illusory realities (supernaturality or altered states of consciousness), or in the context of a culturally coherent human community where affectively rewarding moral values (benevolence, charity, empathy, etc.) have been internalized, of which altruism would, in turn, be the logical consequence in economic life. In this way, the system could sustain itself.
We still lack a similar cultural model… even as a prototype.