the case for a new, non-superior secular religion

1. Altruistic Hedonism
The case for a new secular religion.Altruistic Hedonism
the case for a new, non-superior secular religion

2. We live in a culture that
equates self-sacrifice with virtue

3. tolerance of pain = self-discipline = success

4. this value system has been with us for some time

5. masochism
is as clever adaptation to a world
in which pain is inevitable

6. for most people, for most of the last 10,000 years
life has been repetitive and difficult

7. So equating human value
with self-sacrifice,
for which we would be
rewarded in the next life,
was appealing

8. Indeed, self-sacrifice = virtue
has been a highly effective meme
for several thousand years

9. even as religion has faded,
the self-sacrifice = virtue
value system remains strong

10. finally, after 10,000 years of toil,
we are building a world that requires
less unpleasant work

11. we now have the luxury of asking
the question, is
self-sacrifice = virtue
the best structure for our value system?

12. It is, after all, simply a matter of framing.
There are many possible ways to
describe the same behavior.

13. Let’s say I do something kind for you.

14. We can describe this as a sacrifice of my
pleasure for yours.
… or we can describe it as a decision I
made knowing that my connection with
you gives me joy, and over time
generous acts increase my joy.

15. In the 70s, when asked what makes
Goldman Sachs different, Gus Levy said,
“We’re greedy, but we’re long-term greedy.”

16. Perhaps a virtuous person is simply
long-term pleasure seeking.
(This is what psychologists and behavioral economists would say.)

17. Narcissists with no friends are
short-term pleasure seeking.

18. How about if we call enlightened,
long-term pleasure seeking
Altruistic Hedonism.

19. What would the impact be of
framing the same human behavior as
altruistic hedonism
vs.
virtuous sacrifice?

20. Well, for one, if good people make
painful sacrifices for others,
and bad people don’t, it’s rational for
good people to feel superior.

21. We like this because righteous indignation
makes us feels special, worthy, chosen.

22. It leads to the conclusion that bad people
are cheaters who should be punished.

23. If, on the other hand, good people have
figured out how to experience more joy
through collaboration with others,
and bad people haven’t …
… that framing suggests bad people
need help figuring out how to
experience more joy.

24. After all, we all want the same thing —
joy, connection.

25. Helping people who are
short-term hedonists become
long-term hedonists
(altruistic hedonists)
is not a large leap.
A long term hedonist is not looking down at a short term hedonist,
she is looking across.

26. This is much easier than convincing
people they need to make larger sacrifices.

27. So why not shift our thinking?
We have nothing to lose but our sense of
moral superiority.

28. Let’s create a new secular
“Church” of Altruistic Hedonism
where we celebrate collective efforts to
build virtuous cycles of joy.
* the first church without a superiority complex