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klfwip comments on Why Don't People Help Others More? - Less Wrong
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Totally agreed- Perhaps I am an exception but I don't really help people if there is nothing in it for me, I end up helping people a lot anyway because there is nearly ALWAYS something in it for you if you know how to take advantage of a situation, but regardless... Many people are more altruistic than me and don't seem to realize they are doing themselves a favour, and some of them are not even acting. Its amazing really.
If it benefits you, it isn't altruism - at least by the conventional biological definition of altruism.
Here is Trivers (1971) in "The Evolution of Reciprocal Altruism" on the topic:
Well, if you count opportunity costs as detrimental, something that benefits both you and me but doesn't benefit you as much as something else you could do with your time and resources is still altruistic.
Traditionally, you compare with a "null" action - not the best thing you could possibly be doing.