Know any pathologically altruistic Buddhists?

Altruism

Interesting article. In the cases described, I wouldn't call the people altruists. Maybe they think they are altruists, but they are not aware of their true motives. Maybe they think they are helping others. What they're really doing is reinforcing an aspect of their own ego or self-identity. So it's dubious to refer to them as altruists at all.

Perhaps it's impossible to be an altruist unless you truly grasp the oneness of self and other. I know many people who understand this concept intellectually, and who may even feel it on a gut level emotionally. That doesn't mean we realize this oneness. This oneness is not a functional reality for most of us, even though it is ultimate reality.

Which raises the question: Are we capable of real altruism if we are not fully awakened to the interdependent nature of existence?

The label "pathological altruist" reminds me of buddhist labels such as "idiot compassion" or "crazy wisdom." A great label to describe a subtle and seemingly self-contradictory thing.

How about "Malignant Do-Gooder"?

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by: brooke @ Tue Oct 04, 2011 at 19:29:08 PM UTC

Best intentions

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, as the saying goes. Terrible atrocities have been committed in the name of "doing the right thing." The murderous cultural revolution in China comes to mind.

Or, less atrocious: alcohol prohibition in the U.S. Have you been watching the documentary on PBS? It's quite good. Prohibition was based on good intentions, yet led to a culture of graft and official corruption.

On an individual level, what are the alternatives to acting on one's best intentions?

A bodhisattva is moved to help, however he or she is able. A bodhisattva doesn't sit around wondering what should be done. He or she jumps into the fray with the intention of bringing light and warmth to the world.

Maybe Brooke is right that we cannot be pure altruists if we have not awakened to our Buddha nature and the Buddha nature of others. The results are disastrous when we think we are awakened, yet are merely feeding our egoistic needs and desires, wanting desperately to be perceived as "good" by ourselves and others

Again, though, what are the alternatives? Our wisdom and awakening may be incomplete. Still, we must proceed and live our lives in the ways we believe best.

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by: auntie @ Tue Oct 04, 2011 at 20:19:16 PM UTC

Certainty

Auntie, there's nothing wrong with acting on your best intentions. Trouble arises when one is doggedly certain that his (or her) way is the only way -- when one is certain that he is unerringly correct or right, and others are just wrong.

We've seen that attitude on this board. We've seen it everywhere people talk about Nichiren Buddhism. These people come on strong, talking about how they are the heirs of Nichiren, keepers of the flame, and they know what's best for all of us. We need to join a group, donate money, put our names on an e-mail list. We need to overtly proselytize our faith. We need to shut up and not ask so many questions and not think critically. We need to get on board with SGI, Kempon Hokke, ION, whatever the flavor of the month is.

I have always liked that this website's tagline is "Nichiren Buddhism with a question mark."

After decades of noxious certainty we need questions, not answers.

"If only I had a nickel for every time I've heard someone say that the Soka skunk has changed its stripe." -- auntie

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by: mroaks @ Tue Oct 04, 2011 at 23:22:23 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Prohibition

I too have been on a "3-day Prohibition bender" (watching what amounts to a normal month's worth of TV for me in 3 days to see the documentary), and the article on pathological altruism immediately reminded me of the WCTU:  They thought they were trying to save the poor urban immigrant families, but didn't think to ask those they hoped to help what was important to them.

I think our expression of altruism like any human endeavor is necessarily imperfect and benefits from our Buddhist practice.

The "indignation" aspect of pathological altruism also relates deeply to some articles I've read lately in the realm of neurophilosophy about the Ultimatum Game (look it up if you don't know what it is), the impact of Buddhist meditation on an individual's actions in the game, and role of the Insular Cortex of the brain in this process.

PS Just "rediscovered" BJ.com in the past week or so.  Last time I saw it, it still had a grin, not a question mark.

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by: OakBloodThree @ Wed Oct 05, 2011 at 12:26:04 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Prohibition Docu

See episodes of the Prohibition documentary here:
http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/pr...

Highly recommended.

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by: Nine Lives @ Wed Oct 05, 2011 at 15:52:34 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Selflessness

Barbara O'Brien wrote a nice piece on "pathological altruism" and how it relates to Buddhism:
http://buddhism.about.com/b/20...

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by: brooke @ Sun Oct 09, 2011 at 20:19:03 PM UTC

Altruistic missions

Elwood: We're on a mission from Gad.

Don't let being alive ruin your day.

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by: joeisuzu @ Tue Oct 11, 2011 at 04:30:44 AM UTC

Am I a pathological altruist?

Is it pathological altruism if I attend the occasional SGI meeting to "be a good influence" on my old friends (at least until I get Atkinsed)?

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by: OakBloodThree @ Mon Oct 17, 2011 at 20:31:49 PM UTC

Hmm

Maybe you're just a masochist. :-)

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by: Nine Lives @ Wed Oct 19, 2011 at 20:02:50 PM UTC

[ Parent ]