Reading Analysis of 'Individualism and Altruism'

What did you find interesting or uninteresting about the piece? Was there something that seemed intuitive or counterintuitive? Explain.
The concepts of individualism and altruism are interesting to me because they both address the existence of some sort of sense of duty that human beings possess. It is true that humans are relational by nature, and there is no possible way for us to survive an isolated lifestyle. We need human interaction. Though this may be true, where does this urge to help others stem from? An individualist would argue that we assist others to ensure help or have a better chance of being helped in the future. Perhaps by spotting my friend five dollars when he doesn't have enough to pay for his dinner I effectively secure a future loan when I'm also lacking in funds. The altruist would assert that I should willingly hand over my money because the happiness of my friend should be above my own--I should act selflessly. In his notes, Rizzo states that altruism isn't a livable lifestyle. I would safely agree because it goes against human tendencies. I believe the sense of duty we feel to help others is due to a karma-centric thought process--if we do good to others, good will come back to us. We don't self-sacrifice without the thought of a future gain in the back of our minds. This doesn't make us selfish, it just makes us human.


Discussion Questions
Why do you think 'individualism' has such a negative connotation in today's society? If your actions truly make a difference in helping someone else, why should it matter if it was done in your own self-interest? Does this really make us selfish?

Similarly, we have been taught to be wary of altruistic acts wherein the benefactor receives no personal gain from an exchange. Why do ulterior motives seem to travel with altruistic actions? Do people who exhibit altruism have a hidden agenda with bad intentions?

Annotation
Altruism cannot function in a market economy. This is because no person can possibly know the values of others. Producing for the sake of the people instead of for profit ensures failure. The goal of attaining profit motivates the producer much more than the thought of the joy his or her product will bring to consumers. Individualism isn't synonymous with selfishness, but rather the driving force behind production.