A selfish society

This is the challenge facing our society as it moves into 2017 and beyond. In other words, can we survive well if things continue as they seem to be? Of course, individualism, energised by a spirit of independence, has been a trigger for capitalism and even economic progress. But this was, and is still so, when individual effort also contributes to the group, community or society. Groups, too, can be selfish, “concerned only with their own personal profit or pleasure,” even at the great expense of other groups. Incidentally, our Constitution, driven by what is called “liberalism,’’ rests upon “individual rights and freedoms,” leaving ‘’collective responsibility or cooperation’’ to socialist constitutions – however unsuccessfully. If the measure of a healthy society is the extent to which it shows great promise of becoming socially, politically and economically progressive, then the question arises: What is the evidence that our young, post-colonial society is heading in that direction? Is it that the multi-sectoral, multi-ethnic and pluralistic political structure of this country has thrown up overwhelming barriers against mutual generosity and the reciprocal spirit of cooperation? Is the society too young to carry such heavy burden? Is there much more selfishness than this young society can bear? This is not a new question – not for us or many others - narrow self-interest vs general welfare.

There has always been great hope – from pulpits to parliaments – that people’s selfishness would be inevitable but minimal enough so as not to punish the welfare of the group or community. The hope is that the stronger the group or community gets by cooperative action, the greater the eventual benefit for all individuals in the group or community.

This is the time, the very moment, that this society must face this challenging proposition. To continue as we have been is to court disaster for everyone here.

Selfishness in people and even in animals has been seen as a survival mechanism – even for the preservation of the species etc. But there may be more than this to humanity as Adam Smith, the early founder of economics, speculated: “How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principle in his nature which interests him in the fortune of others, and render their happiness necessary to him, though he derives nothing from it except the pleasure of seeing it.” In today’s intense struggle for personal status and wealth, such an unconditional humanitarian proposition seems filled with more hope than reality. Look around. In fact, this is one of the more serious challenges facing our education system – how to build the civic character, the spirit of cooperation of students in the midst of a severely competitive, exam-driven system.

Twenty years ago, many prominent intellectuals, especially those in behavioural economics, felt they had found a sure formula for socio- economic progress – especially for developing countries bereft of natural resources. This formula was called “social capital,” meaning the extent to which citizens and groups cooperate, trust, establish civic movements, share interests, etc.

Look around. Make an assessment for this society. How much social capital do you think we have? The amount of “trust’’ people have in their institutions provides crucial relief against selfishness and renegade individualism. A culture of selfishness grows to the extent that people feel those who should care for them do not care. Or when very unjustly treated. In basic “game theory” experiments, it was shown how people rather lose some in order to stop others from winning, though if they allow the others to win, they too would gain more.

The clash between selfishness and generosity entered a controversial book (The Selfish Gene) by Richard Dawkins who used many examples to show that animals (bees eg) can work selflessly for others as if genetically programmed. For us, it seems a bit less selfishness and more co op e r at ion all around will make the country socially and economically stronger for all, you don’t think?