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So, do we know what decides if a person develops to become more greedy, agressive and selfish while another becomes altruistic and doesn't care much about wealth and power? (discuss.tchncs.de)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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"my, my! humans! so aggressive."

rape, murder, nukes, war, torture, power, seemingly unlimited greed...

why don't i have that insatiable drive?

can't all be how i was raised, can it?

do you know of any studies or philosophical insights?

thx! 🙂

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

We know that people who have less tend to be more generous than people who have more.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Actually, it isn't so much a matter of being rich vs being poor as it is the level of inequality that influences generosity. People who have more are about as likely as those who have less to be generous when inequality is low, and according to some studies they are actually even more likely to do so. But when inequality is high then the generosity of the wealthy decreases.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Thanks, I didn't know. This is interesting: "...there might be something about the experience of elevated power and status that reduces our willingness to give to others." Political realism on a micro scale?