I’m happy to grant you that, when pondering a specific decision, people always choose the option they feel better with in the moment of making the decision. If they have cravings activated, that sense of feeling better will cash out in terms of near-term hedonism (e.g., buying two packs of crisps and a Ben&Jerry’s ice cream for dinner). If they make decisions with the brain’s long-term-planning module activated, they will make whichever decision they feel most satisfied with as a person (e.g., choosing to do a PhD even though it means years of stress).
No one purposefully makes a decision that predictably makes them feel worse for having made that decision. In that sense, all decisions are made for “self-oriented” reasons. However, that’s a trivial truth about the brain’s motivational currency, not a philosophical truth about altruism versus selfishness.
Altruism is about taking genuine pride in doing good things for others. That’s not what makes altruism “secretly selfish.” It’s what enables altruism. It also matters to what degree people have a habit of fighting rationalizations and hypocrisy. Just like it feels good to think that you’re being virtuous when in reality you’re entitled and in the wrong, it also feels good to spot your brain’s rationalizations and combat them. Both things feel good, but only one of them contributes to altruistic ideals.
I’m happy to grant you that, when pondering a specific decision, people always choose the option they feel better with in the moment of making the decision. If they have cravings activated, that sense of feeling better will cash out in terms of near-term hedonism (e.g., buying two packs of crisps and a Ben&Jerry’s ice cream for dinner). If they make decisions with the brain’s long-term-planning module activated, they will make whichever decision they feel most satisfied with as a person (e.g., choosing to do a PhD even though it means years of stress).
No one purposefully makes a decision that predictably makes them feel worse for having made that decision. In that sense, all decisions are made for “self-oriented” reasons. However, that’s a trivial truth about the brain’s motivational currency, not a philosophical truth about altruism versus selfishness.
Altruism is about taking genuine pride in doing good things for others. That’s not what makes altruism “secretly selfish.” It’s what enables altruism. It also matters to what degree people have a habit of fighting rationalizations and hypocrisy. Just like it feels good to think that you’re being virtuous when in reality you’re entitled and in the wrong, it also feels good to spot your brain’s rationalizations and combat them. Both things feel good, but only one of them contributes to altruistic ideals.