Abigail Marsh
"Why some people are more altruistic than others."
https://www.ted.com/talks/abigail_marsh_why_some_people_are_more_altruistic_than_others
Abigail Marsh is a Psychologist who studies peoples' motives for doing something nice. She wonders into the question, why are some people more altruistic than others? What drives a person to donate a kidney or donating huge sums of money. An example of someone being altruistic is George from "Mice and Men." George gave up his future of having a wife and family in order to help Lennie, a mentally disabled person. George talks about how his life could be different for Lennie, "If I was alone I could go get a job an' work no trouble" (Steinbeck 11). George gave it all up for Lennie, which he thinks back on. However in the TED Talks Abigail Marsh describes altruistic people as people who help others just to please themselves. Some people act kind in order to feel good and feel accomplished. However George is different. He really likes Lennie and wants to be a good friend. Some people act nice in order to look good in the public eye. These people are usually rich and they donate a load of money in order to get praise for what they done. However in the end George becomes altruistic not for praise but for being a friend for Lennie. Lennie needs George for survival and they will stick to the end.