Laughable Comic Strip Explores 'True Altruism' with a Twist

A comic strip shared on Reddit titled "True Altruism" has sparked an engaging discussion, blending humor with philosophical musings on the nature of selflessness. This four-panel comic features a person with short hair holding a microphone and another character wearing dark sunglasses with one eye covered by a patch, delving into the paradox of altruism.

**First Panel:**

The interviewer, a person with short hair, congratulates the person with sunglasses, saying, "Congratulations! You've achieved true altruism." The person with sunglasses listens intently.

**Second Panel:**

The scene shifts to a list of monumental achievements enumerated by the interviewer:

- "You sold all your possessions."

- "Gave away your wealth."

- "And donated an eye, a kidney, and part of your liver to those in need."

- "And never asked for anything in return."

In the background, silhouettes of two people are engaged in conversation, adding depth to the scene.

**Third Panel:**

The interviewer then poses a critical question, "How do you feel?" The person with sunglasses, after a moment of contemplation, responds, "I feel...good?"

**Fourth Panel:**

The person with sunglasses suddenly realizes the implications, expressing shock and covering their face with their hands, exclaiming, "Oh no." The final speech bubble intensifies the humor with, "Oh f*** no."

This comic cleverly illustrates the concept of altruism, questioning whether true altruism exists if the 'giver' derives any form of satisfaction or acknowledgment. Reddit users chimed in with their insights:

One user noted, "Interestingly, the leading evolutionary theory regarding why altruism exists is called 'reciprocal altruism.'" They explained that altruistic acts often aim to gain social credibility and trust, which are eventually reciprocated.

Another user humorously pointed out, "Lol. The joke here is that 'true altruism' doesn't exist because the 'giver' always gets something from the action—even if it's only 'feeling good' about themselves."

A fan of the show Friends recognized the theme, commenting, "There's an old episode of Friends where Joey says that there is no such thing as a completely selfless act. This flustered Phoebe, who then tried to find a way to do a completely selfless act."

The comic also invited debates about the definition of altruism. One user emphasized, "If your definition of something excludes virtually every possible instance of that something, it's a crummy definition."

The comic strip not only entertained but also provided a platform for thought-provoking discussions on the essence of selflessness. Whether you side with evolutionary theories or philosophical musings, this comic captures the hilarity and complexity of 'true altruism' in a memorable way.