Post: #1

http://online.wsj.com/article/best_of_th...today.html


Article title:

Pathological Altruism
A simple concept that could revolutionize scientific and social thought.

How subprime mortgages and the education bubble are due to codependency.

Academics have a bias against seeing the negative effects of good intentions.

That's because they are bleeding heart liberals, (Jim Norton Fan's analysis).

Original paper here:

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/0...0.full.pdf

Oh, BTW, the author is from Oakland College, a no-name school This shit is way too brilliant for the assholes from Stanford or Harvard to come up with.

Post: #2

Very much a good article. While many singular points aren't new, the researchers managed to pull it all together in a fantastic way.

I am not holding my breath - but it is a breath of fresh air in the moldy, decaying halls of academia.

Post: #3

A very interesting perspective. I would add that pathological altruism is more common in the US and Western Europe than anywhere else.

Post: #4

BUMP

Interesting article.

Things that stood out to met was the link between narcissism and the rise of pathological altruism. Also, the challenge of actually studying altruism because subjects and participants are so far removed from their actual motivations that understanding behavior emprically is challenging. Interesting how the nicest (empaths) and most nefarious have similar correlations to altruism.

Given the "feelings" and digital makeover society has taken on since the study was published you wonder if cyber virtue signalling is closely related to some of the traits covered here.

A bit drawn out but worth reading if these things itnerest you.

Post: #5

(06-15-2013 09:24 AM)JimNortonFan Wrote:  http://online.wsj.com/article/best_of_th...today.html
How subprime mortgages and the education bubble are due to codependency.

One of my recent moral conclusions is that pity and forgiveness have become codependent.

Post: #6

This is a great founding for manipulation purpose but already known by scamers.
I see here, coupled with reciprocity, the same kind of leverage used by groups to get you to donate to their charity founds
Great read and really interesting

Post: #7

(01-05-2018 01:57 AM)Aurini Wrote:  

(06-15-2013 09:24 AM)JimNortonFan Wrote:  http://online.wsj.com/article/best_of_th...today.html
How subprime mortgages and the education bubble are due to codependency.

One of my recent moral conclusions is that pity and forgiveness have become codependent.

Expand?

Post: #8

Think about the oh so generous land developer that wants to build low income housing for "refugees" in a mostly white suburb that meets criticism with #NotAllMuslims.

The bourgeois, who are slightly more intelligent than most, but too dense and short-sighted for leadership roles, put their personal bottom line before society. From a historical perspective, it comes down to class/caste revolt dating back to the Renaissance in Italy when tradition, customs and demographics - things that the nobility took care of more or less - were sacrificed for mercantilism and muh freedums. Selfishness and greed all the way.

Post: #9

With this thread bumped, I'll point out: I recently read an article which suggested that extreme altruism/overempathizing might actually be best viewed as a disorder in a class with sociopathy, in that the behavior is centered on gratifying a personal drive that involves unnecessary rule-breaking and risk-taking and will ultimately harm those close to them, yet they won't be able to understand why they did anything wrong.

I can't find it, but I thought it was an interesting point.

Post: #10

This is called BORDERline personality disorder.