Why do good?

What causes people to do good things in the world? There are a plethora of reasons. There are times in our lives when doing good is expected of us. For example, as toddlers, we do not want to share and yet we do. Mainly, we do this because it is expected of us. Adults impress upon children that sharing is a necessarily and will be rewarded. However, children often display natural empathy. This, I feel, is the root of all good actions. Empathy is the ability to feel what others are feelings. Almost all humans have it and even some types of animals.

As we grow older, our reasons for doing good change. We still have the expectations of others facing us, but we also still have empathy. There are many, many people who can turn away from others in need. There are those that can turn a blind eye to the pain in others lives, but there are also many that cannot. Sometimes there are people that are more naturally empathetic. Often, people learn to be more empathetic by having shared experiences. For example, if you have ever been cold, hungry, or felt lost, then you can often feel for another individual going through the same thing. But even those people that can ignore others often empathize with characters in movies, tv shows, or books.

Empathy compels people to do good. It is difficult to feel the pain of another and not act to help them.

Empathy Chip

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