Reciprocal Altruism

I happened to attend the NASSCOM HR Conference 2017, held at Chennai.  In one of the session the speaker Mr. Sanil Sachar, who is an author and entrepreneur used a phrase, “Reciprocal Altruism”. This sounded new to me. While altruism means selflessness, the word reciprocal made this phrase looked like an oxymoron statement to me. Well then the example he gave me, sort of made me ponder over it.

We have heard this famous quote. “Birds of a feather flock together”.  We have also seen this in action, and we would have noticed that these birds fly in a unique pattern. They fly in a V formation. The V Formation, also known as the Echelon formation, is very frequently seen in migratory birds, like geese which migrate or travel over long distances. No doubt, it looks neat and classy to onlookers, but have you ever wondered, what is the real reason behind this particular flying pattern of birds?

There are many reasons that are attributed to this, such as protection from preying birds, easy communication and coordination with the team, but the more significant reason is that this V formation helps to conserve energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. The birds take turns being in the front, falling back when they get tired. In this way, the geese can fly for a long time before they must stop for rest.

So, is there any learning’s for human beings from this? Yes! What the birds are exhibiting is actually a classic example of “Reciprocal Altruism”.

A flock of birds can be compared to a family. Each member of the family plays a supportive role to each other. Just like how birds takes turn, when one is tired and keeps the flock going smooth, each family member pitches in at the right juncture to do what it takes to keep the family running smoothly. Let us explore a few situations.

When we were young kids our parent’s showed unconditional love in bringing us up. There was no expectation from them except to see us happy and successful in life. So, when our parents grow old and they are in need of support, it is an opportunity for us to reciprocate the altruistic love they have shown on us.

When we were small our siblings would have protected us and cared for us. When our siblings are going through a difficult phase of life, it is an opportunity for us to reciprocate their care.

As working couples, there can be situations where the wife may have to take a break from work, to nurture the child and another situation where the husband might have to quit job in order to study further to get a better position in his job. At these instances the other partner may have to work overtime to compensate for the income loss of one of the partner. This is a classic example of reciprocal altruism too.  

The above examples are just a few of the many situations, where reciprocal altruism finds its place. It is called reciprocal altruism, because there is no compulsion, but it is just a voluntary choice. There is no written rule, but it is a moral responsibility, we are willingly shoulder at such moments. It is not a “give and take policy” but it is about giving whole heartedly, when a need arises.

I see the younger generation of today, very independent in their outlook, that they fail to see the big picture. They fail to understand the sacrifices made by the parents, sibling and so many others in shaping them up. They should be more aware and conscious of this fact, that when a need arises they don’t shirk away from this, by saying it is not my problem, but rather do their part to reciprocate altruism.

   D. Senthil Kannan,

   Managing Trustee, PALMS, Tuticorin.

   Author of "Transformational Thoughts" - A Journey of learning 

   Email: senthilkannand@gmail.com