Rose McIver Quotes

The act of feeling what you believe other people feel is morally corosive.... If we want to be good and caring people, if we want to make the world a better place, then we are better off withouit empathy.

If you ask anyone, what is morality based on? These are the two factors that always come out: One is reciprocity, … a sense of fairness, and the other one is empathy and compassion.

There's no such thing as altruism.

Human morality is unthinkable without empathy.

The major forces in human nature: self interest and caring for others

The whole history of the world has been the struggle between the selfish and the unselfish.

You can tell by the kindness of a dog how a human should be.

If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed.

Human nature must have come much nearer perfection than it is now, or will be in many generations, to exclude from such a control prejudice, selfishness, ambition, and injustice.

The stirrings of morality emerge early in childhood. Toddlers spontaneously offer toys and help to others and try to comfort people they see in distress.

To feel much for others and little for ourselves; to restrain our selfishness and exercise our benevolent affections, constitute the perfection of human nature.

If any civilization is to survive, it is the morality of altruism that men have to reject.

People are no damned good.

Don't overestimate the decency of the human race.

I was taught in school that I have to look out for number one. That was against everything that I intuitively felt.

Let us try to teach generosity and altruism, because we are born selfish.

The individual is capable of both great compassion and great indifference. He has it within his means to nourish the former and outgrow the latter.

I guess because I'm a liberal I think it's not people's natural instinct to be completely self-interested.

How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles in his nature, which interest him in the fortune of others, and render their happiness necessary to him.

I am convinced that everyone can develop a good heart and sense of responsibility with or without religion.

Love people, not things; use things, not people.

We must challenge a culture that is based on too much meanness and not enough meaning.

There is a difference between being self-interested and being selfish. I will never be selfish.

Men have been taught that their first concern is to relieve the suffering of others. ... To make that the highest test of virtue is to make suffering the most important part of life. Then man must wish to see others suffer in order that he may be virtuous. Such is the nature of altruism.

The virtue involved in helping those one loves is not 'selflessness' or 'sacrifice,' but integrity.