Live simply so other people may simply live

Altruism is actually a basic instinct in humans and many other animals. (This has been the subject of countless studies) While we are blessed with/are capable of free will, our culture does heavily influence out decision making and currently our culture has swung toward cynicism. You would be surprised how easy it is to make room at the table for one more, and how much richer your life is for it.

If any study claims widespread human altruism, they have an incomplete definition of altruism or are heavily biased. Case in point: every single day of your life people try to take from you and nearly every single person around you is concerned with their own well-being. Many of them are disinterested in the well-being of others (unless family or friends), making it the complete opposite of altruism. Their concern for family and friends is also borne of a selfish nature to not feel emotional pain because of their death. Concern for children is also inherently selfish, as the passage of one's genetic material is the only grasp at immortality most of us organisms currently have.

Cartels.