"On the Kindness of Strangers" by Steve Yothment
Congratulations to Steve Yothment for his highly informative presentation "On the Kindness of Strangers" at the December 26, 2020 meeting of Owl & Ibis - A Confluence of Minds. A PDF of Steve's presentation is here and on the O&I website menu bar under "Links to O&I Slideshows and Docs." Steve's talk highlighted the contents of the new book The Kindness of Strangers: How a Selfish Ape Invented a New Moral Code (2020) by psychologist Michael E. McCullough. The after-presentation discussion was excellent and covered topics as follows, among others: Is kindness towards others including strangers instinctive, learned, or a combination of both? Various takes and examples concerning the three recurring themes in the book - reciprocity, reputation, and reason - as prime motivators for kind and altruistic behavior toward others. Donation recipient entitlement. The problem of corruption in nations receiving international assistance from other cou