[fallingfrog]

>If someone is doing something of value without profiting personally, the next question about that activity is "what info am I missing about how they profit?".

That is a sociopathic statement that ignores all of human morality, denies any human feeling of empathy or acts of kindness, and pretends culture does not exist. It is certainly the logic of modern capitalism though.

If you saw a child about to fall into a well, and nobody else was around, would you help her? Of course you would. When you are eating thanksgiving with your family, does the strongest member of the family steal the turkey and then charge everyone for pieces of it? What you are saying is patently ridiculous.

[JoeAltmaier]

I read it more softly than that. Of course we get 'paid back' for making the Thanksgiving turkey - by goodwill. I'm paid for moral acts by a reinforced self-image and satisfaction. There are lots of forms of payment.

[fallingfrog]

Right, but those feelings are the result of the culture you were raised in and the normal feelings of compassion you have as a member of a highly social species of animal. The whole reason society works at all is because I teach my kids to share, and not to hurt each other. If everyone starts believing that they should only do things out of pure self interest, then I'd say you're looking at a society that's about to degenerate into warfare, slavery, and violence.

[JoeAltmaier]

Like every online multiplayer game!

[marknutter]

> If you saw a child about to fall into a well, and nobody else was around, would you help her?

Are you comparing poor adults to children about to fall into a well?