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Altruism, in its simplest sense, is about giving without any expectation of return. But does it exist, or is it merely a pursuit of a moral ideal?
My ethical compass flops about whenever I try to grasp on this idea of selfless giving. Can a person be capable of such acts?
People are generous for good reasons. For example, they want to rack up favors, for religious faith (deeds and karma) or simply for their loved ones.
In general, people do it for their own self-interest.
The nature of Man
I tend to think that we are fallible beings.
This is widely supported in the Abrahamic religions where we believe that our parents, Prophet Adam and Eve were deceived by Satan.
In Islamic understanding, the Quran specifies the nature of Man and the nafs — literally means self. It is an unrefined state of desire, ego, lust, which every human being possesses. Nafs is neither evil nor good, yet it has the potential to elevate ourselves or to degrade our status which we exercise through free will.
