Altruism and Health

	Book review on Why Good Things Happen to Good People by Post, Stephen; Neimark, Jill (2007) Reviewed by David Lorimer, 2009 published in Network Review No 98
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Over 50 years ago, Pitirim Sorokin was pioneering research into altruism and health at Harvard University. The outcome of this work was a book The Ways and Power of Love, which was reprinted in 2002 with an introduction by Stephen Post, who now runs the Institute for Research on Unlimited Love in the medical school at Case Western University, where he is also professor of bioethics. This institute was set up with the support of Sir John Templeton, who felt that insufficient research effort was being devoted towards topics such as love, wisdom and forgiveness. Post tells the story of his initial encounter with Sir John, and outlines the work of his institute. The bottom line of this book is that scientific research has now proved the link between doing good and living a longer, healthier, happier life. At a time when the consumerist dream is falling apart, this is a timely and welcome reminder of the true nature of human fulfilment, which is grounded far more in our relationships than in individual satisfaction.

The book introduces the Love and Longevity Scale, based on ten ways of giving. The context is the four domains of family, friends, community and humanity. The ten ways, which form the structure and substance of the book are celebration, generativity, forgiveness, courage, humour, respect, compassion, loyalty, listening and creativity. The structure of each chapter includes the implications of research reports, lessons from the frontiers of research with practical suggestions, and a 20 question exercise, consisting of a statement with six possible responses from 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree'. The first chapter on celebration invites the reader to turn gratitude into action, with recommendations such as savouring the day, keeping a gratitude journal, celebrating other people, and finding inspiration in nature. The questionnaire is phrased both positively and negatively for instance 'I make a point of letting my family

members know how much I appreciate them' or 'I feel like I owe my friends nothing when it comes to any of my accomplishments in life.' One can then add up one's score and find out which percentile one falls into. Naturally, if one is honest, the exercise will provide an insight into areas in which one could improve one's life. There are many inspiring quotations and stories throughout the book. Here is Gandhi: 'The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problems.'

The chapter on courage is especially good. We are encouraged to speak up and speak out, and courage is defined as love in action, love that forces change. It is quite right to say that 'Courage is the hallmark of every human who has changed the world, from Jesus to Joan of Arc.' However, as the authors point out, every life has its moments of quiet heroism. The word itself is derived from the Latin meaning heart, so that encouraging people is supporting their heart. It often requires that people reach a turning point in their lives where they deconstruct an old sense of self and reconstruct it around different priorities. I liked the view of Pastor Carl Wilkens when he says 'real courage comes when you come up against something that far exceeds you. Real courage is about submission and trust. Are we going to rely on something larger than ourselves? We must use the gifts we have been given, but use them in the awareness of a much greater power at work.' This insight is based on his experience in Rwanda, where he also discovered that there are three types of courage, physical, moral and psychological. It helps if we can articulate our life purpose and cultivate what the authors call a'hardi­coping' attitude. Another capacity is confronting with care or 'carefrontation', which requires for soft skills and is built on four concepts. Listening and building trust are key, as is caring as much about the other's goals as you do about your own. The chapter as a whole invites the reader to begin a process of transformation.

Much more could be said about each of these chapters, for instance the finding that listening activates the part of our brains hardwired for empathy; this relates to the research on mirror neurons reviewed above. The final chapter summarises the book's theme of doing good and living well, suggesting that we can all formulate a personal programme of daily giving, choosing a particular area to work on. I think a daily schedule would be a bit much, but a weekly commitment makes a lot of sense. I should also add that the chapter on humour is well worth reading. There are some very amusing quips by Ronald Reagan. He was accused by Walter Mondale of 'government by amnesia', to which he replied 'I thought that remark accusing me of having amnesia was uncalled for. I just wish I could remember who said it.' A very worthwhile book from both the scientific and personal point of view.

 

 

 

 

(order this book from amazon.co.uk)