Hard-Wired to Share

The human brain is a big believer in equality . Humans experience satisfaction in sharing , even if this means giving away some of our own, according to an unusual study . Using 3-D hospital scanners, scientists say they have found the first evidence to show that the pleasure of helping others and of helping oneself both activate the same areas of the brain.It's long been known that we humans don't like inequality But what was unknown was just how hardwired that dislike really is.
"In this study, we're starting to get an idea of where this inequality aversion comes from...It's not just the application of a social rule or convention; there's really something about the basic processing of rewards in the brain that reflects these considerations."

O'Doherty notes, is somewhat contrary to the prevailing views about human nature. "As a psychologist and cognitive neuroscientist who works on reward and motivation, I very much view the brain as a device designed to maximize one's own self interest," says O'Doherty. "The fact that these basic brain structures appear to be so readily modulated in response to rewards obtained by others highlights the idea that even the basic reward structures in the human brain are not purely self-oriented."

Camerer , co-author of the report said "We economists have a widespread view that most people are basically self-interested, and won't try to help other people...But if that were true, you wouldn't see these sort of reactions to other people getting money."

The scientist Carl Sagan put it very well:

"Humans have evolved gregariously. We delight in each other's company; we care for one another. Altruism is built into us. We have brilliantly deciphered some of the patterns of Nature. We have sufficient motivation to work together and the ability to figure out how to do it. If we are willing to contemplate nuclear war and the wholesale destruction of our emerging global society, should we not also be willing to contemplate a wholesale restructuring of our societies?" (Cosmos, Futura, 1987, p. 358)