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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsScientific American: How Wealth Reduces Compassion
This is from a year ago, but today Thom Hartmann was talking about how when you get rich you lose compassion so I googled and found this article.
Pretty relevant today considering the wealth disparity, Citizens "United" and the Kochs orchestrating the shutdown.
As riches grow, empathy for others seems to decline
By Daisy Grewal
<snip>
In order to figure out whether selfishness leads to wealth (rather than vice versa), Piff and his colleagues ran a study where they manipulated peoples class feelings. The researchers asked participants to spend a few minutes comparing themselves either to people better off or worse off than themselves financially. Afterwards, participants were shown a jar of candy and told that they could take home as much as they wanted. They were also told that the leftover candy would be given to children in a nearby laboratory. Those participants who had spent time thinking about how much better off they were compared to others ended up taking significantly more candy for themselves--leaving less behind for the children.
A related set of studies published by Keltner and his colleagues last year looked at how social class influences feelings of compassion towards people who are suffering. In one study, they found that less affluent individuals are more likely to report feeling compassion towards others on a regular basis. For example, they are more likely to agree with statements such as, I often notice people who need help, and Its important to take care of people who are vulnerable. This was true even after controlling for other factors that we know affect compassionate feelings, such as gender, ethnicity, and spiritual beliefs.
In a second study, participants were asked to watch two videos while having their heart rate monitored. One video showed somebody explaining how to build a patio. The other showed children who were suffering from cancer. After watching the videos, participants indicated how much compassion they felt while watching either video. Social class was measured by asking participants questions about their familys level of income and education. The results of the study showed that participants on the lower end of the spectrum, with less income and education, were more likely to report feeling compassion while watching the video of the cancer patients. In addition, their heart rates slowed down while watching the cancer videoa response that is associated with paying greater attention to the feelings and motivations of others.
<snip>
But why would wealth and status decrease our feelings of compassion for others? After all, it seems more likely that having few resources would lead to selfishness. Piff and his colleagues suspect that the answer may have something to do with how wealth and abundance give us a sense of freedom and independence from others. The less we have to rely on others, the less we may care about their feelings. This leads us towards being more self-focused. Another reason has to do with our attitudes towards greed. Like Gordon Gekko, upper-class people may be more likely to endorse the idea that greed is good. Piff and his colleagues found that wealthier people are more likely to agree with statements that greed is justified, beneficial, and morally defensible. These attitudes ended up predicting participants likelihood of engaging in unethical behavior.
more...
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=how-wealth-reduces-compassion
grahamhgreen
(15,741 posts)Live and Learn
(12,769 posts)BillyRibs
(787 posts)One is worshiped, One is Treated by a psychologist.
cui bono
(19,926 posts)at others' expense.
The2ndWheel
(7,947 posts)yuiyoshida
(41,831 posts)Like Rush Limbaugh, or Commentators on Fox News... Words from people like Bachmann, or other high Profile Republicans. Many who talk about never giving loose change to the homeless... how great it felt to get one over, on a person by snatching up their house and making them homeless... I have seen so many examples of selfish behavior.. and people who do not give a damn about others. The people who get mad at disabled Veterans for getting a pension, or people who have to survive on food stamps. They use terms like "Welfare Queen" and more disparaging terms for people who actually care about other people.
People who vote against their best interest are the ones who most puzzle me. If they were to win the lottery, they would be dancing in the street, yet when someone else gets it, who was really needy, they complain about a rigged system.
mrsadm
(1,198 posts)I understand the points made in the article, but it does not jive with things like the Bill Gates foundation, Andrew Carnegie, and on and on.
dotymed
(5,610 posts)(ie.. Bill and Melinda Gates) use their philanthropy to further their narrow views on the poor. The Gates funnel their money into the charter school system which is for-profit "education."
Sadly, if you look closely most have strict stipulations on their charity.
Tax write-offs where they still control how their largesse is dispersed.
Edim
(300 posts)They're hypocrites and only interested in improving their public image and tax dodge.
cui bono
(19,926 posts)to any generalization or rule.