In this blog post, we will reconsider the meaning of altruistic behavior through the perspectives of “birds of a feather flock together” and evolutionary theory to see if it really only brings losses.
It is difficult to divide people into two categories based on a single criterion, but if we use their attitude toward cooperation as a criterion, we can divide them into cooperative and uncooperative people. Cooperative people and uncooperative people can be described as altruistic and selfish people, respectively. In general, altruistic behavior refers to seeking the benefit of others rather than one’s own benefit. This seems to be detrimental to the individual who performs the altruistic act, and in fact, it is. From an evolutionary perspective, such damage implies the extinction of the altruistic act, but this is not the case in reality. Why did altruistic acts survive? To find the answer, we will first learn about “birds of a feather flock together” and then explore the relationship between “birds of a feather flock together” and the survival of altruistic acts.
“Birds of a feather flock together” means that people with similar characteristics tend to gather together. If you look at your friends from school who you spent a lot of time with and became close, you will easily find that they have similar personalities, thoughts, and hobbies. This is an example of ”birds of a feather flock together.” Birds of a feather flock together is not only observed in simple friendships and peer relationships, but also in various aspects of work and social life. People instinctively prefer to associate with those who have similar tendencies to themselves, which is one of the natural phenomena of human society.
So, how does this commonly used idiom relate to altruistic behavior and survival? There are various types of encounters in society, but let’s assume that these encounters are transactions. Altruistic people achieve the highest results when they meet altruistic people. On the other hand, selfish people achieve the lowest results when they meet selfish people. As a result, it is natural that both altruistic and selfish people want to interact with altruistic people and avoid interacting with selfish people. However, our society has norms or tendencies to isolate selfish people from the group in order to maintain the group. For example, people who commit fraud for their own benefit go to prison, and people who only pursue their own convenience in group activities are left out. As a result, altruistic people are more likely to interact with other altruistic people, contributing to the formation of a cooperative atmosphere in society. In addition, selfish people are less likely to be chosen by altruistic people, so they are more likely to interact with other selfish people. As a result, we end up with people who are similar to ourselves, and this leads to the formation of “birds of a feather flock together.” The “birds of a feather flock together” phenomenon that occurs through this process helps to form the public good, and individuals who give up something for altruistic behavior receive greater rewards than they would have if they had acted selfishly.
However, looking at this from an evolutionary perspective, a question arises. If cooperation between altruistic individuals achieves the highest results, why do selfish individuals still exist? This provides a clue that even a society made up entirely of altruistic people has weaknesses. That clue is “diversity.” Groups made up of altruistic people have more monotonous personalities and characteristics than groups with a moderate mix of altruistic and selfish people. However, through various studies, we have learned that groups with a certain degree of diversity, whether in terms of gender or culture, have a higher potential for development than homogeneous groups. The process of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences coming together to create new ideas and innovations plays an important role in the continuous development of society. Ultimately, a society consisting only of altruistic people has its limitations, which is why we have come to embrace diversity as we do today.
Through this, we were able to see that “birds of a feather flock together” in the process of altruistic and selfish individuals pursuing the best rewards they can obtain from each other, and we were able to find the answer to why altruistic individuals who are willing to give up their own interests survive in the public interest that comes from “birds of a feather flock together.” On the other hand, we also learned that although “birds of a feather flock together” can help form the public good, it can also cause damage due to the loss of diversity when taken to extremes. In addition, through this process, we were able to observe from an evolutionary perspective why altruistic and selfish individuals coexist in today’s society. This perspective provides important insights into why people with different tendencies exist in society and how they interact and coexist with each other.
