Smarty is the descendant of the guy who invented pissing on the Blarney Stone, probably.
I'm not sure humans are as empathic as you think, Seil. Plenty seem plenty opposed to any kind of charitable giving at all, regularly spitting on beggars, pushing blind people down stairs, etc. Some are even sociopaths, serial killers, rapists, etc. That's not to say there aren't plenty of empathic people but this idea that we are hardwired to be empathic seems pretty off to me. Your environment and upbringing are going to be massively responsible for how you treat others. Genetics are such a tiny part of the puzzle--it is supposed that humans are genetically hardwired to live in groups, because living in a group gave those who lived in a group an advantage to survive long enough to pass on their genes. BUT there are plenty of lone wolves out there, too.
Something you might be interested in was a scientific study about charitable giving. Respondents were given two scenarios:
1. Women on the other side of the world are being sold into sex slavery. For only 1000 dollars, a charitable organization will buy a slave and free her from bondage. There is 100% documented proof they are successful in freeing slaves 100% of the time, given the cash. Would you donate a thousand dollars to save one of these women?
2. A woman is drowning in a lake as you watch. You are wearing an expensive, 1000 dollar suit. What do you do?
Respondents were much more likely to dive into the lake to save the drowning woman than they were to donate money to free a sex slave, even though the monetary cost was the same. Apparently these questions in conjunction with some others shows that people are more concerned about helping people they can see or are in the presence off than they are in helping faceless people on the other side of the planet, even though both are as documented to be in danger as the other.
Said study's results were probably questionable but you know, food for thought.
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