doing things to benefit others

For the longest time it was thought that people donated to charity or did things to aid the less fortunate because of some unselfish concern for the welfare of others. On the other hand, a recent article which appeared in The Wall Street Journal concluded that doing things to benefit others is actually a very selfish act. The reason is that giving makes us feel good–it stimulates the same region in our brain that controls cravings for food and sex. According to neuroscientist, Dr. Jordan Grafman, “…this new evidence suggests that giving is actually inherently rewarding: The brain churns out a pleasurable response when we engage in it.” What this boils down to is the more generous we are, the better we’ll feel. This means that St. Francis of Assisi was right all along when he said, “For it is in giving that we receive.”