It seems the best way to prove there is not real altruism is to cherry pick sources to show how those who seem to express it don’t. Start with a premise then look for anything that might be scraped up to show how it’s true.
Christopher Hitchens, I dare say, is likely not the best interpretor of Mother Theresa, nor any other altruistic person. It’s hard to sell books with the title Religion Poisons Some Things, but Helps Others, and Really those who are most Committed to It Seem to be Doing Generally Good Works For People I Personally Can’t Stand to Even Think About. Not only would that not fit on a book cover, it’s just not very catchy, even if true. It’s much easier to stand out by being naively rejecting.
Those with particular traits always want to see those traits in others, especially if the traits aren’t flattering.
Our ego always wants to protect us from realizing that, yes, there are people better than us. We can’t have that because then we’d have to be honest with ourselves, and maybe even, horrifyingly, let go of that selfishness that restricts are becoming whole people.
The ego so much likes to wallow, and to do that insists everyone else must be in the same muck and mire.
