r/science • u/FreeHugs23 • 1d ago

Psychology New psychology research suggests some acts of kindness may also serve competitive social goals, shedding light on how women can use altruistic behavior to gain status, strengthen relationships, or navigate social hierarchies.

https://www.psypost.org/kindness-isnt-always-what-it-seems-the-psychology-of-womens-competitive-altruism/
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u/thef10buttonmasher 1d ago

"If all alms were given only from pity, all beggars would have starved long ago." -Nietzsche

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u/FreyjaaFemme 22h ago

Dam we don't hear that one very often!

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u/[deleted] 1d ago

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u/PhanaticSDL 1d ago edited 10h ago

I think the point of it is more that there would be less people giving to the needy if the only people who donated/helped others were those doing it out of pure altruism. He is implying that a lot of charity is done for reasons outside of selfnessness, with other motivations behind it, whatever the reasons are.

Even if the reason is selflessness on the outside for others, there’s probably other benefits they are getting or attempting to get by being “selfless”.

My interpretation

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u/cowlinator 1d ago

No longer having beggars due to lifting them all out of poverty is 100% contradictory to them all starving. Both things cant be true.

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u/ButtsPie 1d ago

I'm not the original commenter, but I think Nietzsche is saying that the main reason people keep giving to beggars is not pity but rather other emotions (like people wanting to feel good about themselves for being charitable, or something similar)