Dental Dean Update — Is Altruism a New Thing?
RCSEd Communications Team
Effective altruism is a new thing and is funky for our global billionaires. Or is it? The effective altruism movement has been noted to guide people towards doing the best with their resources, good old-fashioned philanthropy.
Estimated at a value of $46 billion per year, effective altruism has become a secular religion of the elites. Effective altruism is linked to the ethical theory of utilitarianism, which is based upon the principle of 'the correct approach is that which delivers overall happiness'. Both effective altruism and utilitarianism share common ethical properties, and both are based upon the principle that individual successes are no more important than those of another human. Effective altruism should really be known as altruism 2.0. It is nothing new at all.
The word 'altruism' originated with the French philosopher Auguste Comte as an antonym for 'egoism'. The word was derived from Italian and Latin meaning 'other people' or 'somebody else'. Altruism is more than just the ability to promote success in others; it is the concern for the welfare and/or happiness of other people above oneself. Interestingly, altruism occurs elsewhere in the animal kingdom, but primarily as a means of survival of an individual species.
You might be asking at this point: what altruism has to do with being a Dental Member or Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh? Let me explain. Selflessness is a key characteristic of any charity volunteer, be them raising money, running marathons or giving the time for the organisation and running of the charity’s business. The Faculty of Dental Surgery and wider College depend on the symbiosis of the College staff and the volunteers. Our College celebrated Volunteers' Week at the start of June 2024, with lots of social media posts and commentaries on the contribution that volunteers make to the College. These got me thinking about the role of our volunteers and the altruistic contribution that they make.
1 July 1505 marks the date of incorporation of the Craft Guild of the Barber Surgeons of Edinburgh at the Town Council in Edinburgh, laying the ground for centuries of self sacrifice in the promotion of College activities ever since. Clearly without our altruistic volunteers, the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh would not be anything like the success it is today. The debate about providing either an honorarium or indeed payment for College activities is nothing new. For centuries, our College has maintained a commitment to improving lives through selflessness. I recognise the views of those who would like the College to provide some financial contribution to those who give their time for free. Whilst financial inducement might defray the financial costs of taking time away from the workplace and family life, this would result in all of our activities soaring in cost, with this being passed onto our membership. Examination costs would inevitably be borne by those at the starting phase of their career, which could make some activities unreachable for lower income individuals and countries around the world. I do of course recognise the effort and sacrifice that our volunteers make in the name of our College and in advancing the dental profession, and thank each and every volunteer for their contribution, large or small.
In this piece I would also like to recognise the non-transactional values of altruism as well. There is a growing body of evidence that altruism has a number of health benefits. Helping others feel good makes the giver feel good as well. In doing so, altruistic activities create belonging and reduce social and professional isolation. Furthermore, and perhaps very important for College examiners, altruistic activities help keep things in perspective. Through our College network, challenging situations can be shared with colleagues allowing a more balanced viewpoint which inevitably helps with prioritising issues in our own mind. Finally, altruism makes the world a happier place to be. Would society be a good place if everything required money? Random acts of kindness are important, but College life is about organised and sustained delivery of education, examinations and the standards in dentistry. Would I go as far as to say that altruism is a membership benefit? Yes, in fact I would. I have had the opportunity over my career to be involved in College life at all levels, and never tire of the privilege of being involved in helping others to reach their full potential through engagement in our faculty at all levels. Making the next generation of dentists better than me is important and, as a patient, I want standards to improve and clinical practice to ever evolve.
So be healthy, be altruistic and be a volunteer. Your College relies on you. While the global billionaires talk about effective altruism, we know that our College pioneered this a long time ago, and the tech giants of today could learn a lot from this important value at the heart of everything our volunteers do within the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. Those who care about doing the most good for society share a common interest in creating the right future, not just any old future. Some effective altruists have commented that they are worried about the rush to colonise outer space and the danger of interplanetary totalitarianism as governments and corporations try to carve up the cosmos. I question whether this is actually effective altruism or simple longtermism.
Your College has been very effective at altruism over the years. Long may this continue on earth and perhaps even beyond our natural global boundaries should the College decide to explore deep space.
Wherever you are in the world, please feel free to get in touch. Your views matter to me as your Dean. dental@rcsed.ac.uk
Similar Posts
- Dental Ambassadors on COVID-19: Insights From General Practice, Wales 01 July 2020
- Update on the RCSEd International Doctors’ Manifesto 01 October 2020
- Diploma in Implant Dentistry - all you need to know about pursuing a career in implantology 01 December 2020
- Supporting Education Research - Meet the Recipient of the Faculty of Dental Surgery Grant 11 September 2020
- RCSEd Fellows Celebrated in Queen’s Birthday Honours List 14 October 2020
Follow Us
