Selflessness, acting and behaving in the interest of others and the belief that to do is right and proper.
I had wondered once whether that was the reason my father had married her, but that was before I had learned that men are not much given to acts of altruism, and certainly not in sexual matters.
Alice Thomas Ellis, The Clothes in the Wardrobe. Amazon
Why is a different intellect so disrespected? Could it be because our society upholds the wrong values? Do we define success in narrow and superficial terms? Is success really about money and ownership? What about human decency, respect, compassion and even altruism?
Anna Germain, Ontario Hansard - Standing Committee on Social Policy, 1 February 2005. Ontario Hansard
Eventually, the volunteers' altruism turns to bewilderment and finally to outrage. They've been hoodwinked.
Douglas Brinkley. Washington Post, 26 August 2007. Washington Post
Women will always love a hero, according to a study that found females value bravery above altruism when selecting men, whether it is for marriage, an affair, or a platonic relationship.
Robert Uhlig, Telegraph, 8 February 2001. Telegraph
"When Arizona became a state in 1912, the first man it sent to the United States Senate was a loquacious cowboy called Henry Fountain Ashurst. In his first address to the Senate, Mr Ashurst boasted that Arizona was 'poised to become a veritable paradise.' Only two things were needed, he said: 'Water, and lots of good people'. According to legend, a senator from New England responded, 'If the gentleman from Arizona will forgive me, that's all they need in hell.'" - Seen in "The Economist"