Ayn Rand made a mistaken equation between altruism and Communism. Seeing   
   abuses of Communism, she came up to the idea that altruism as such is evil.   
   She was wrong.   
      
   Anything that carries any kind of appeal to people – moral, intellectual,   
   physical or anything else – will have all sorts of people wanting to exploit   
   it. If people have altruistic ideals, it is very likely that some jerk will   
   come all along and    
   pander to them, then take them into a bad place. That Stalin pandered to   
   altruistic ideals to create a barbaric order does not impugn altruism; it   
   impugns Stalin.   
      
   A similar error has been made by feminists. They saw abuses of beauty by   
   stupid teenagers and unscrupulous plastic surgeons, and they decided that the   
   problem was with beauty. It is not. Once again, anything that has appeal to   
   people will see people    
   wanting to use it for wrong. The problem is not with what has appeal, but with   
   those who use it for wrongdoing.   
      
   Intelligence can also be used for wrong things; but that does not make   
   intelligence bad. Money can also be used for wrong things; but that does not   
   make money bad. Patriotism can also be used for wrong things; and that does   
   not make patriotism bad either.   
      
   Same with just about anything that is out there.   
      
   The problem therefore is not with altruism, as Ayn Rand claimed. The problem   
   is with those who exploit it. That there are corrupt charitable organizations   
   does not damn generosity either. It damns those who take good values and then   
   use them to do wrong.    
   Same is the case with altruism.   
      
   Stalin does not own altruism, and Communism does not own altruism. There are   
   plenty of altruists who did actual good and were no part of any kind of   
   tyranny or corruption. Stalin used altruism for wrong. That does not damn   
   altruism. It damns Stalin.   
      
   Separate what's true from what's not true. Altruism can most certainly be used   
   for wrong; but so can such things as beauty, intelligence and money. None of   
   these things are in themselves bad. These are things that carry appeal. And   
   anything that has any    
   kind of appeal will see some opportunist wanting to use it for wrong ends.   
      
   Beauty is not bad; intelligence is not bad; money is not bad. Neither is   
   altruism. The problems are with those who use these things for wrong. Do not   
   equate altruism with Stalinism. Do not equate beauty with unscrupulous plastic   
   surgeons or stupid    
   teenagers either. All of these things can be used for wrong. That does not   
   make any of them bad.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)