''Pathological Altruism'' is a book edited by
Barbara Oakley
Barbara Ann Oakley (née Grim, November 24, 1955) is an American professor of engineering at Oakland University and McMaster University whose online courses on learning are some of the most popular MOOC classes in the world. She is involved in mu ...
, Ariel Knafo, Guruprasad Madhavan, and
David Sloan Wilson
David Sloan Wilson (born 1949) is an American evolutionary biologist and a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences and Anthropology at Binghamton University. He is a son of author Sloan Wilson, and co-founder of the Evolution ...
. It was published on 5 January 2012 by Oxford University Press, and contains 31 academic papers. Oakley defines
pathological altruism as "altruism in which attempts to promote the welfare of others instead result in unanticipated harm".
Overview
The book comprises a collection of essays which discuss negative aspects of
altruism
Altruism is the principle and moral practice of concern for the welfare and/or happiness of other human beings or animals, resulting in a quality of life both material and spiritual. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core as ...
and
empathy
Empathy is the capacity to understand or feel what another person is experiencing from within their frame of reference, that is, the capacity to place oneself in another's position. Definitions of empathy encompass a broad range of social, co ...
towards others, such as when altruism hurts the altruist, is taken to an unhealthy extreme, or causes more harm than good. Examples given include depression and burnout seen in healthcare professionals, an unhealthy focus on others to the detriment of one's own needs, hoarding of animals, and ineffective philanthropic and social programs that ultimately worsen the situations they are meant to aid. It is considered the first book to explore negative aspects of
altruism
Altruism is the principle and moral practice of concern for the welfare and/or happiness of other human beings or animals, resulting in a quality of life both material and spiritual. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core as ...
and empathy.
According to Oakley,
anorexia
Anorexia nervosa, often referred to simply as anorexia, is an eating disorder characterized by low weight, food restriction, body image disturbance, fear of gaining weight, and an overpowering desire to be thin. ''Anorexia'' is a term of Gre ...
, supporting addictions of other people (
codependency
In sociology, codependency is a theory that attempts to explain imbalanced relationships where one person enables another person's self-destructive behavior such as addiction, poor mental health, immaturity, irresponsibility, or under-achiev ...
), animal hoarding, depression, guilt and self-righteousness can be pathological altruism. Oakley has also stated that suicide bombings and genocides can be caused by pathological altruism, when perpetrators of these acts believe they are behaving altruistically towards those who share their ideology.
Oakley further states that some people are naturally "hypersensitive" or they have an excessive desire to "help" others. According to Oakley, such people are convinced that they are helping others without considering the practical results of their "help".
Sections
# The psychology of pathological altruism
# Psychiatric implications of pathological altruism
# Societal implications of pathological altruism
# Cultural and evolutionary dimensions of pathological altruism
# The development and underlying brain processes of pathological altruism
# Synthesis of views on pathological altruism
Reviews
The book was widely reviewed, including reviews in the ''New Scientist'',
and ''The Independent'',
and ''The Los Angeles Review of Books''.
''Nursing Standard'' said "I recommend this book to health professionals looking for a deeper understanding of altruism and its motivation. The arguments are clear and scholarly, and supported by a wealth of references."
[
Writing in ''The New York Times'', Natalie Angier called the book a "scholarly yet surprisingly sprightly volume." She wrote, ]pathological altruism is not limited to showcase acts of self-sacrifice... The book is the first comprehensive treatment of the idea that when ostensibly generous 'how can I help you?' behavior is taken to extremes, misapplied or stridently rhapsodized, it can become unhelpful, unproductive and even destructive. Selflessness gone awry may play a role in a broad variety of disorders, including anorexia and animal hoarding, women who put up with abusive partners and men who abide alcoholic ones. Because a certain degree of selfless behavior is essential to the smooth performance of any human group, selflessness run amok can crop up in political contexts. It fosters the exhilarating sensation of righteous indignation, the belief in the purity of your team and your cause and the perfidiousness of all competing teams and causes.
See also
* Altruism
Altruism is the principle and moral practice of concern for the welfare and/or happiness of other human beings or animals, resulting in a quality of life both material and spiritual. It is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core as ...
* Effective altruism
Effective altruism is a philosophical and social movement that advocates "using evidence and reason to figure out how to benefit others as much as possible, and taking action on that basis". People who pursue the goals of effective altruism, c ...
* Virtue signalling
Virtue signalling is the expression of a moral viewpoint with the intent of communicating good character.
Definition
"Virtue signalling", according to the ''Cambridge Dictionary'', is "an attempt to show other people that you are a good person, ...
References
Further reading
* {{cite book, author=Barbara Oakley, title=Pathological Altruism, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FPtwdmXtjmoC, date=5 January 2012, publisher=Oxford University Press, isbn=978-0-19-973857-1
External links
Oxford University Press catalogue listing
Page about the book on Barbara Oakley's website
2012 non-fiction books
Science books
Psychology books
Oxford University Press books