Pope Benedict XVI warned in his Christmas message that the world was headed toward ruin if selfishness prevails over solidarity during tough economic times for rich and poor nations. His message cautioned the people of the world not to be selfish. "If people look only to their own interests," the Pope said, "our world will certainly fall apart." Indeed it will.

Altruism is a rather new word for unselfishness, coined by 19th century humanist philosopher Auguste Comte as an alternative to egoism, which means putting oneself above all else. Whether put in simple or philosophical terms, unselfishness is a virtue that would ultimately benefit everyone concerned. As the current economic crisis shows, no one can win if they are only thinking about what they can get for themselves now and don't consider how their actions affect others or the world around them.

Particularly in Taiwan, where the rich and the powerful are posing as role models, people have learned that selfishness seems to pay. Ask a delinquent college student how often he has wronged others. He will probably tell you, "whenever I want to." Our students should be taught to not just look at their immediate wants and needs, but also to consider the needs of others.