Read the First Part Read the Previous Part “If developing an altruistic bent is so important, then how do you think we can develop and promote this attitude in others, especially our young ones?” I asked. He sat there silently looking at me for a while. Then his gaze shifted to his coffee mug. He […]
Read the First Part Read the Previous Part “I think I understand the concept of ‘altruism.’” I said. Then, after a pause, I added, “There are two questions, however, that are causing some confusion in my mind. The first of these relates to something that you said regarding the source of the somewhat universality of […]
Read First Part Read Previous Part “So, I understand then that an altruistic act can be a source of peace, serenity, and satisfaction for the person who undertakes it. I think an equally important aspect is to see how such an act makes the other person – the beneficiary – feel too,” I said. “Yes. […]
Read First Part Read Previous Part “Have you ever been touched by someone’s altruism?” I asked. He looked at me with a very pleasant and a hearty smile, and said, “Some time back, I was with my wife in Dubai. We did not get a local number, so our internet connection only worked as long […]
Read First Part Read Previous Part “If we are all a creation of God – a moral Creator – who has made goodness inherent in all of us, then why do we find goodness to be so rare? Don’t you think that if goodness was inherent in all of us, it should have been […]
Read First Part Read Previous Part “I have been thinking about what you have said regarding altruism. I find it very strange that with so much diversity in our cultural, economic, educational, religious and socio-political backgrounds; so much difference in our nurturing; so many variations in our concerns, desires, and aspirations, we all feel good […]
Read Previous Part “My question today is that if a person is not looking for recognition, appreciation, or reward, then why would he or she do something for the benefit or welfare of another person? Are we not motivated to act in self-interest? In other words, my question is what moves a person to take […]
“You keep referring to ‘altruism’ as a fundamental good. Can you please explain what exactly do you mean by that?” I asked him. He smiled at me – a proud smile, which I had now become so used to seeing every time I asked him a question – and asked, “Have you ever done something […]
I was attending a meeting with an educational group. One of the members of the group mentioned that they had found an innovative way of punishing those students, who were found guilty of misconduct. He elaborated on his excitement thus: ‘When someone is found guilty of misconduct, he/she has to perform a fixed number of […]
Close to the border of Punjab and Sindh lies the city of Rahim Yar Khan. I had to travel there from Lahore on the 8th of December, 2019. I had to conduct a workshop session there, the next day. This time, the topic was “Our Impact on those Around Us.” One of the discomforts that […]