The beating drum of economic theory claims we are primarily motivated by self-interest, and that's what to expect from people in life. If that is true, why do we also enjoy performing acts of generosity/giving/sharing that don't provide us with any return for what we put out?
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If our main motivation was to focus on the pure gains we can receive by giving anything, then we wouldn't even be enjoying giving things to others without receiving anything in return. Sometimes our altruistic acts can cost us ourselves, yet we still do it. The reality of human behavior contradicts the hardheaded absolutist claims by many that we are purely selfish creatures.
As I see it, sharing enhances relational bonds between psychological beings and enhances the harmony of coexistence thus bring us into a positive emotional state where we feel good about what we are doing, such as being happy. A feedback loop develops between our act of sharing and the generation of that happiness within us. This promotes us to continue to share more.
In studies and observations about sharing, psychologists see that people like to give more than they like to have. This has also been recently demonstrated in a recent study of preschool children published in Frontiers in Psychology.
Since sharing provides positive psychological moods and emotions,Dr. Zhen Wu and colleagues examined the question of whether these emotional benefits are still generated if the sharing is not voluntary but instead an obligation dictated by social norms.
Children between the ages of 3 and 5 in China were happier when they shared rewards they received instead of keeping them all for themselves. This is when it was voluntary, but when social norms demand sharing the happiness does not follow. This was shown through two groups of 51 three-year-olds and 88 six-year- olds -- one group shared voluntarily and the others through social pressure.
Wu says "We can't expect young children to share under pressure and be happy about it."
I would add we can't really expect anyone who is pressured to share to actually be happy about it, not only children.
Being pressured or coerced to share does produce more sharing than when it is voluntary, but it comes at the price of not being authentically happy about it. The desire to share is not coming from you, you are being inducted and influenced with social and peer pressure.
Giving away things because we want to is what makes us happy. The motivation needs to be intrinsic from within ourselves, and not extrinsic as an expectation or demand.
Wu notes that it's difficult to eliminate the possibility of feeling pressure to give even when told there is no obligation to do so. One can be convinced they need to in order to fit in despite being told otherwise.
I also see the other possibility of giving in order to gain favor with others, rather than to do so simply because we want to or because it's a social expectation to do so.
I'm also reminded of Christmas time (or birthdays, Valentines, etc.), where people are so conditioned into getting gifts for people because the day demands it in social norms. Many people also feel they must give gifts or else they will be looked down upon in their social relations, be it family or friends.
References:
- Want your child to share? Then don't tell them off! Kids are happy to lend their toys to others if they aren't forced
- Preschoolers Happier When They Share Because They Want To
- Sharing voluntarily makes young kids happy
- Zhen Wu, Zhen Zhang, Rui Guo, Julie Gros-Louis. Motivation Counts: Autonomous But Not Obligated Sharing Promotes Happiness in Preschoolers. Frontiers in Psychology, 2017; 8 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00867
Thank you for your interesting post! Very true that parents and even the society kept demanding us to share since we were young, and thank you for pointing out the difference between doing it under pressure and doing it voluntarily. It's important that our kids know the reason behind sharing!
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Another @krnel episode!! I love when you come around and drop some deep philosophy on us brother! Great article! I would assert that the reason why people resent the welfare state, is not because people are selfish and uncharitable but rather, as you stated, when one is forced to be "altruistic" all positive benefits are cancelled out and usually results in the opposite of the desired effect. You can't force someone to be kind and in fact, if you do I would imagine it would be very adverse on the social development of a young individual. What statists fail to understand is that they advocate for "fixing" these issues with the same measures that caused issues in the first place.
As Chris Duane beautifully puts it, " There are no collectivist solutions for collectivist problems, only individual consciousness solutions for collectivist problems."
Have a great day my friend! Its great to see you alive and posting well!
~Hratch
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Great point! I was thinking the same when I was writing. TAXES. Welfare is from the taxes they take that they coerce you into "giving" them lol.
Well said!Thanks for the feedback!
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Another thing that many economically illiterate people fail to realize is that, even if taxation becomes ineffectual because of growing noncompliant population, the Fed can just print more fiat to fund the governments programs. Thus, devaluing and debasing the dollars in our pockets. Inflation and quantitative easing is a hidden tax and is completely unsound, unconstitutional, immoral and is straight up theft of someones hard work. This is how we are rewarded for our hard work... with financial rape.
I know that its a little bit off topic but very important to bring up. ~Hratch
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Well I have my BA in Policy Studies and minored in Economics and I'd argue that there are economically literate people that don't share this view haha :).
Yeah, the fed can print money, but it doesn't really work that way. They don't just print more to make-up for lack of revenue or spending power. Places like Japan and China may print lots of money, but thats to devalue their currency and maintain their export industries, but it's very public. Quantitative easing is not common. Central banks simply try to maintain inflation at a reasonable level (there's a natural level). Look up the Phillips curve. Central banks are useful in maintaining the balance of inflation and unemployment when properly coordinated with the federal government. it was discredited in the 70s and 80s but thats only because the model couldnt account for exogenous shocks like OPEC cutting oil.
With respect to the economy, the fed will change the overnight lending rate in order to promote or discourage borrowing. A lowering of the interest rate by the fed would encourage borrowing because it's cheaper, and that acts as an injection into the economy. The previous system was gold-backed, but that lacked the economic tools that the fiat system has. Controlling the money supply is incredibly important.
I run into alot of people who share your views towards inflation and fiat currency, but I can assure you, things are not as nefarious as you may hear and inflation can actually be a useful factor. I encourage you to look into the 'Paradox of Thrift.' Also, inflation encourages borrowing which has a stimulative effect.
The beauty of crypto is that you can program control of the money supply. So many options, so much to comprehend! I think governments may adopt it eventually, but the current system is actually quite stable. We just need progressive policies that index wages to inflation until crypto can offer us a stable future!
-Brownz
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I respect and appreciate that you have put the time into responding so eloquently! I understand that there are other economic schools of thought, however I find Keynesian economics to be completely asinine and believe a collapse is imminent and that the system is beyond repair. The federal reserve has a God complex if it thinks that it has a moral right to control money supply. Money supply can not be controlled, it is finite because there is only so much of it that can be mined out of the ground. Currency on the hand was designed to leach the wealth of the people. What right does the federal reserve have to print "value" from NOTHING and then expect your average person to toil over it. Each time the fed does this it buys the debt of the government in the form of bonds (effectively putting the nation into more debt,) it steals from both of our pockets in the form of reduced purchasing power for the same amount of work. Have you not noticed the national debt keep rising to stratospheric levels? How on earth is this a stable system? Our monetary system is a lie and is completely immoral. We must go back to sound and honest money principles. I believe wholeheartedly that JM Keynes was wrong and that they should be teaching a lot more Hayek and Mises in the Universities. Just my opinion. ~Hratch
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Thanks! Likewise!
Hey a Hayek guy! I respect that. We're not gunna find much common ground though hahaha.
Money supply can be controlled, that's what the feds for. See, I feel like your coming at this with emotion and see a conspiracy where there isnt. It was not "designed to leach wealth," nor is it acting morally superior. In comparison to the gold standard it is the stable, logical approach. Of course they will take measures that will occasionally lead to inflation, or increased interest rates that makes debt more expensive, but thats the price you pay for control, and that control, I believe, is key to stability and proper governance.
I'd rather have control of inflation than let jesus take the wheel ! The federal reserve isn't printing money for some spiteful reason, it's doing it for monetary stability.
Just so were clear im from Canada, but our central bank is the same in practice haha.
"Each time the fed does this it buys the debt of the government in the form of bonds (effectively putting the nation into more debt)) it steals from both of our pockets in the form of reduced purchasing power for the same amount of work" - I understand what you mean by a reduced purchasing power, but there is no increase in debt when doing this. Just increased money supply, leading to reduced purchasing power like you said.
The US national debt is simply a government issue, the only effect the fed would have on it would be through interest rates, and interest rates will only fluctuate according to the economy, not debt. It doesn't really matter too much though, your nation's debt seem huge in absolute terms, but in terms of debt to GDP ratio, you're not in horrible shape.
-Brownz
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I wonder what you have to say about this:
One-Percent Jokes and Plutocrats in Drag: What I Saw When I Crashed a Wall Street Secret Society
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Couldn't agree more, shout out to my angry retarded monkey @freebornangel !
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I totally agree, and I echo your positive words towards @krnel. I haven't been very active on steemit lately as I am extremely busy with witness duties.
Very nice to catch this article and welcome back from your long time away @krnel. Upvoted both of you.
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I have an interesting take on this that people may find uncomfortable and totally disagree. Let me give it a shot!
Keep in mind, I am not saying this is a bad thing, but I think that sometimes sharing/giving is done for primarily selfish motives. And EVERYONE expects to receive something in return for their sharing. Whether it be as simple as feeling good about themselves, or as a passive aggressive way of exerting dominance over the receiver.
Allow me to explain, I believe that there are 2 types of sharers- the KIND Sharer and the DOMINANT Sharer. And both of these Sharers are looking for something in return for their acts of sharing.
The KIND Sharer is sharing because it makes her/him feel good. If it didn't make them feel good, they wouldn't do it.
The Dominant Sharer is sharing because it is a method to exert superiority over the receiver of the gift. It may be a very passive aggressive approach of dominance and it may not even be intentional, but this type of sharer shares because he/she wants to be noticed. Or he wants you to know that he/she has something that they receiver doesn't have, and he is so much better than you that he/she doesn't even need it.
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Indeed, great points to add, thank you for the feedback.
There is usually always a reason for us to do something, so indeed if sharing wasn't to establish credibility, trust, loyalty with others, to gain credits for future help we may need in the future, or to simply be happy doing it, then we wouldn't do it like you say. The intent to appear better or get noticed for being "nice" also plays into that social reciprocity of our lives, cred for future help requested. "Look at that guy helping, he's so great, I'd help him out next time he needs help because he's helping others."
Thanks again for the good points to add.
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Is it really "sharing" if it is being forced? Isn't it simply redistribution? In order to teach a child to share, shouldn't we focus more on the reasons that it is good to share, the altruistic nature of the act, rather than on the act itself? Thought provoking article.
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Indeed. Sharing comes from within. Good point on how its been euphemized and obfuscated when it extrinsically motivated through pressure or coercion!!! LOL! Call it sharing, it makes it look "good" lol. Pressure and coercion don't.
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I think we definitely "get" something in return as a result of simply sharing; we feel better, happier, when someone else feels better and happier as a result of something we did or gave... I was touching on this vis-a-vis Steemit in one of my pieces yesterday. It's giving, for its own sake because we (ultimately) get a similar little shot of dopamine from someone else's happiness... or even the phrase "thank you" said sincerely as we get from a "like" on a Farcebook photo or a comment on our Steemit post.
That works smoothly and automatically assuming a broader societal that we live in a world of plentiful resources. Unfortunately (just personal opinion here) we seem to be living with a philosophical/economic system (capitalism) that largely depends on the paradigm that we live in a "world of scarcity" where there are not enough resources... which discourages people from giving freely.
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Yes, I added similarly, but at first I guess I should have been more specific that we don't receive any material return for a material giving. The feedback part is how I see it, where we induce positive emotional states as a return for sharing. It's not something the other person gives us as a return, so that's more what I meant as something we get back from them. The feedback is self-induced. We give and induce happiness in ourselves. Nothing is required from the other person, although it can be to also stimulate our sense of well-being from sharing.
If we developed "free energy" and automation, that sharing factor would exponentially increase, as I see it. Scarcity is a reality based on the individualist need to provide for our own survival.
I had devised an alternative new way of living, where everyone in the community joins and agrees that we share water, food and shelter responsibilities. We work 1-4 days a month, and all the basics for living are taken care of. Then the rest of time can be spent working voluntarily for ourselves, for others, giving freely, or charging money for those things, but the basics for life would not be scarce anymore. I see food, water and shelter as the basis for establishing our freedom. In our world, we can't live off the land freely ourselves to provide for ourselves, so we are locked into economic survivability that removes degrees of freedom from life. In this new way, we all recognize the basic needs to establish freedom for all, and then further advancements are voluntarily engaged in.
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We do get something in return for giving to others! You explained it yourself! The difference is there is no explicit agreement for something in return, instead what we get in return is often more ethereal than material. Even so, giving to others can also result in material gains. Some people call it karma, but it could also be described as benefiting from bettering the surroundings of those around you.
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Indeed, good points. Thanks for the feedback!
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I know @giftedgaia has some input on this, as his niece just recently had an article written by her mother go viral on this exact topic. They ended up on Good Morning America over this.
"Why this mom is teaching her kid not to share"
https://ca.style.yahoo.com/moms-post-teaching-kid-not-share-goes-viral-191955466.html
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Thanks, great story! I would say that's a smarter mom than others who let peer pressure and "gooney" demands to MAKE someone share. That's not how sharing should work. All the kids are just bombarding him asking him for his toys, likely many just using him and pretending to like him so they can get the toys.
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Great insight, very well written. I think one aspect other than what you have mentioned and why us humans are the way we are is the need for intimacy. Not sexual (that too). But the need for interpersonal relationships, attention from others. One of the worst punishments in a prison is solitary confinement. Intimacy is part of what makes us human.
I've been traveling around the world for at least 10 years, living out of a backpack. I've seen the good and bad of people all over the planet. But generally they are good natured and want to help each other. That being said upvoted and followed!
I'm new here, maybe you can help me out and check out my intro. I have gotten a lot of positive feedback and I think you'd enjoy. Thank you in advance. -World Travel Pro
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@world-travel-pro/who-is-the-world-travel-pro-a-re-introduction-to-the-steemit-community
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Thanks for the feedback. Indeed, most of us are good-intended, even when we do bad lol. The desire for attention from others is a big psychological factor that I neglected to mention, thanks for bringing that up!
Getting people to like us increases our interactivity with others and the sharing of attention. I'm in a "solitary confinement" of my own making from not aligning with the social norms that most people are conditioned into. I've taken the path of truth to de-condition myself from the falsity others don't recognize: “Everything that is not the truth is removed from your life. This requires a lot of alienation.” – Michael Tsarion, The Posthuman World. If more people did that, then we could unite on the common basis of care for truth through having evolved our consciousness to do so. We unite in life with others based on commonalities. I am very different from others and don't harmonize much with their usual level of interests and desires.
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You basically just summed up my intro. In my early twenties I united with my peers in basic commonalities, heavily based in social conditioning and propaganda growing up in the Albany, NY. I basically created a living hell for myself. I'm now 34 and have been traveling the world for years. I meet people from all over the planet and I learn from how they are (good or bad). I will never again try to be like someone else just be accepted.
Even yesterday evening in the Cab from Guatemala City to Antigua. I shared the ride with two beautiful 23 year old girls. "We're meeting up with our friends and staying in hostel Tropicana, you should stay with us". I checked it out, basically it was one big drunken mess of a place. I poked my head into one of the dorm rooms "Hey man, good vibes in here dude!" shouts one scuzzy looking guy. I look to my right, sign says "No outside beer allowed"
So instead of getting no sleep and wasting my energy on degenerates sharing a room with eight others of this ilk. I found a nice quiet hotel and enjoyed my peace. I probably could have hooked up with one of these girls as they found me so interesting and intelligent, but I really don't even care about that anymore. They were disappointed when I left; but I don't need this in my life any more. As you can see in my intro, I already had more than I could take for one life time.
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It's not either or, we can be motivated mainly by selfish things but that doesn't mean it's exclusively selfish things that motive us. Even altruistic behavior can certainly be selfish in that we are thinking about our selves and how we would like others to treat us in that situation, and because we can do it for the dopamine rewards, or just to feel good about ourselves:
I think it comes down with free will, fuck with people's free will and they will not be happy with it, here people are happy that they have a choice between pepsi and coke, when they are both equally terrible, which shows that the illusion of choice is enough, but of course point that out and see how quickly their disposition drops. Imposing a will onto others isn't an answer, but I don't think it can be called social norm pressured sharing.
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Indeed, mess with free will and people don't like it, whether they were engaging in moral actions or not lol. Many (or everyone) don't want consequences to be brought on them for their immoral actions. They just want to be allowed to continue along with their life lol.
Yes, its multilayered motivations for choices, they are not mutually exclusive, which is the why I counter the usual claim that we are or "need" to act selfishly always, or four whatever we want for our self-interest, regardless of others. Most people don't think that way, so the polarity to an absolute selfish behavior is not usually though of as most of us recognize the reality of our cooperation reciprocal interchange for survival optimization, even if only intuitively it factors into unconscious processing of information feedback to the conscious mind.
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Very interesting article thanks for sharing
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Well written article, good read, thanks.
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Steem is kinda like this where sharing is encouraged and not detrimental and will most likely benefit
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Obvious, but often lost by many.
Same goes to learning. You can't push a child to learn. They have to figure things out on their own even if it takes them all day.
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Well said. Sometimes people give for purposes.
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Interesting, I always felt people share because they have secret motive behind it
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I think biggest pleasure in life is when happiness is shared...whats the point in being selfish and not sharing with other people...that defeats the purpose of being human :)
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I find that the more we have the more we give. Although, there are some who have very little and still give.
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