- Butler’s Stone: Pleasure is a byproduct, not the goal.
- Science: Biology (altruism aids survival), neuroscience (motivation ≠ pleasure), and psychology (empathy drives genuine care) suggest mixed motives.
- Analogy: Egoism is a single-threaded “selfish” algorithm; altruism adds threads for others’ benefit. Data leans toward a hybrid model.
Whenever I dive into a creative project, whether it’s freelancing for a client or tinkering on my own stuff, I know exactly what’s coming. The dopamine hit from shipping code is unreal, like a high from solving a puzzle that’s been nagging me for days. The rep boost, the financial payoff (or potential for my own projects).