Altruism’s Busybodies

One of the more widely accepted moral codes is that of altruism. In altruism, it is evil to live for yourself and, instead, one should live for others. However, in spite of how many people pursue its ends, altruism is a moral code that creates problems and injustices. Often, when people think of altruism, they conjure up images of physically giving to others. Yet, much of the time spent by altruists is in the behavior of others. To live for another person is for that person to become your focal point in everything they do. Focusing on your own behavior and your own life is selfish; your time is spent on yourself. In these terms, altruism is the opposite of egoism. This altruist busybody attitude is anathema to freedom. Indeed, altruists develop a power hungry attitude in relation to their moral edict to live for others. None of these problems are accidental. Rather, they are a natural outflow of the nature of the altruist ethics.

Altruism’s principal concern is the control of other people. Living for another person can’t simply be in the giving of physical gifts. This is because a person’s life is a series of actions and behaviors by that person (not just the presence of physical sustenance). Although giving physical gifts can be altruistic, a much deeper and meaningful approach is one in which all of the behaviors of the person one lives for are placed under scrutiny. One isn’t properly living for another person if that person is allowed to do things outside of the concerned parties moral ends. It is a failure of the altruist’s moral prerogative if someone is allowed to do something contrary to the altruist’s wishes, since the moral altruist knows best. The altruist’s work is one in which his/her statements motivate and drive the other. For example, a successful altruist would be one in which the advice he/she gives is actively held and pursued. It would be a failure if the altruist’s advice is given but not upheld, as he/she would only be trying to live for another’s sake. The altruist’s goal is to truly step into the other’s life and live it for them. Subsequently, since the altruist primarily knows altruism and the altruist moral code demands it, by the nature of a moral code itself, what the altruist wants of the other that he lives for is for him/her to be another altruist.

Ultimately, altruism doesn’t leave room for freedom. Freedom is autonomous action, which may easily lead into self-interest. Since an altruist is primarily concerned with the control of other people (so the altruist can live for their sakes), autonomous action is meant to be stifled. Examples abound in history. Fascism, living for the good of the nation, and Communism, living for the dictatorship of the proletariat, are two altruistic ethics that make a point to limit or remove selfish freedom. These collectivist ideologies are consistent with altruism because the interest of each person is nullified for the good of the collective. Instead of any individual benefitting, it is the amalgamous whole that benefits. (It’s worth noting that the whole doesn’t exist but for its individual members and its benefit, if the state were assumed to represent its individual members, would have to benefit some individual. Unfortunately, this manifests itself as those in control of the levers of government having complete control over the resources that the others of the society produce, creating a glut of material for government officials.)

The absolute control of others required by altruism leads to power lust. A moral code that requires and pushes one to control others, to any level and degree of their behavior, will cause a person to want more, as it is prescribed by the code. It may be all the greater of a need for power, than what may be present in sick people who take enjoyment in merely having power over others, because it has the force of a moral code. Inclinations are not the driving force; morality and the good are. This removes any reservations a person may have about controlling others, and it moves beyond into necessity. Taking this with the fact that people’s emotions change according to what they habitually do, and it can be seen how altruism can create dangerous pathologies in people. The human psyche can be very good at bearing out the logical conclusions of the things we do and think, and the altruist conclusion is “I can live your life for you.” This is a very bold statement that claims immense powers and capability of the bearer. Contrary to what is often seen as a meek ethic, altruism is an ethic of bold powers, claims, and outstretch. Indeed, one of the primary sources of the ethic, Jesus, made bold proclamations, e.g. he was the son of God, and was meant to bring a whirlwind of justice.

Most people are mixed and don’t follow the altruistic ethic completely or consistently, but it still plays a large role in how they live their lives. Altruism is often the default ethic when people are in need of guidance. Yet, altruism primarily offers a power dynamic of control. A person casts off their responsibility for their self and instead buries their responsibility in the lives of other people. These other people then become the vehicles of the altruist’s successful fulfillment of their moral code. This ethic of control is ultimately anathema to freedom and creates a psychology of power lust, as the person’s psyche carries out the hidden assumptions they have been building with their behavior.