A random act of kindness that I performed this week was that I
anonymously paid my friend electric bill.
She has been out of work since December when she slipped on an icy
platform and broke her knee and times have been really difficult for the family
so I decided to pay her electric bill since that is one bill that she was
having difficulty getting help with paying.
She doesn’t know yet that the bill was paid but she will when she calls
to try and get a payment arrangement and I know that will relieve some of the
stress that she has been under. I do not
plan on telling her that I am the one who paid the bill because I do not want
her to feel obligated to pay me back, I just want to help her in any way that I
can until things get better for her and her family.
Altruism, Personal and Professional Social Responsibility, and
Codependency
Altruism can be defined as “the conscious devotion to helping
others regardless of whether the motivation is self-interested or other
centered. It is a premeditated pursuit of
charity to unify and increase the overall welfare of society” (Wasieleski,
2008). In contrast to Altruism,
professional social responsibility is doing things that benefit society and not
just individuals. Codependency is “a
psychological syndrome noted in partners or relatives of persons with alcohol
or drug addiction that includes low self-esteem and a unreasonably high need
for approval and affection, and denial---both of their own personal needs and
of problems within the family” ("codependency," 2014). Many people believe that acts of altruism
are rare; however I disagree because I have witnessed as well as performed
altruistic deeds because it was something that needed to be done at the
time. Professional social responsibility
is very common; although it may not always be genuine and codependent actions
happen because the individual that is on the opposite side of the receiving end
is in need of the mutual relationship with the individual that is receiving the
benefits.
Altruism Application to Psychology or Psychological Principles
The desire to want to help individuals could be considered
altruism in psychology, however many individuals that practice psychology may
not be doing it for that reason but they do have a professional social responsibility
to assist individuals in seeking a better quality of life. Altruism works
together with psychological principles because they are intended to alleviate
the difficulties that human beings suffer from without any personal agenda or
profit.
Altruism Improvement on Human Condition
At one point in time I was experiencing some financial struggles
and someone anonymously paid my utility bills which relieved some of the stress
I was experiencing, so when I performed the same act for my friend it provided
me with a sense of good feelings because I was able to return the deed that was
done for me once upon a time. It is
believed that altruism is supposed to provide a benefit for all involved which
could turn into individuals consciously being involved in committing acts to
pay it forward. Altruism improves human
condition because it allows individuals to help others in need without
expecting anything in return and that may give those individuals receiving the
help the desire to want to help someone else one day.
Personal and
Professional Responsibilities Related to Altruism
Managed health care has prompted many psychological professionals
to perform altruistic deeds, such as providing services free of charge to
clients whom cannot afford to pay because they are considering the well-being
of their clients above everything else. The Pro Bono Counseling Project was
developed “to help fill the gap in mental health services to low-income
individuals and families” (Bembry, Anderson, & Yaggy, 2002), that are affected
by all the changes in medical coverage.
Future of Psychology in Contemporary Society & Altruism
The future of psychology in relation to altruism is dependent upon
the professionals whom are practicing and whether or not their acts will be in
the best interest of the clients or for personal and/or professional
benefits. Society is definitely in need
of individuals who are strong, responsible and have a desire to make changes in
the quality of human life, which is why altruism is very important in the field
of psychology and contemporary society.
Conclusion
Random acts of kindness can be considered altruistic deeds and can
also be the result of an individual performing professional or social
responsibility, which can improve human condition. Many argue that there is no “true altruism”,
however I disagree because there have been situation in which individuals had
to immediately take actions to help an individuals in need without thinking
about the benefits, such as the man who ran in the burning house to save the
children that were trapped on the second floor.
References
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