Focusing on altruistic behavior in the Korean drama “Reply 1988,” this course explores the causes of altruistic behavior and its sustainability through the kin selection hypothesis. It explains altruistic behavior in humans and animals, and analyzes how altruism is maintained in society.
I’m going to take a look at a Korean drama called “Reply 1988” that kept me awake at night recently. The drama resonated with many people because of its warm portrayal of Korean society in the late 1980s and the relationships between families and neighbors. In particular, the scene in which Taek and other fathers sweep the peaceful alleyway of Ssangmundong every morning has become an iconic image of the drama. The scene of Taek and the other fathers sweeping the alleyway seems to be a simple, everyday act, but it makes you think about a lot of things behind it.
In this scene, I want to take a closer look at the fathers who sweep the alleyways every morning. They give up 30 minutes of precious sleep on cold winter mornings, expend energy, and laboriously clean the alleyways. Their selfless act provides a clean environment for their neighbors, but they receive no reward or recognition for it. This behavior continues despite the fact that it can be detrimental to the individual. So why do they do this? This question leads us to explore the underlying reasons for what we define as “altruistic” behavior.
However, we often see the opposite of altruistic behavior in dramas. For example, we might see Dong Ryong sneaking away from cleaning the alley with his father, or a father not cleaning because he thinks, “At least one of us won’t mind not cleaning for a day.” These scenes show how behaviors like free riding and betrayal manifest themselves in human society. Why do people still choose to be altruistic when they have nothing to lose and everything to gain? And how do altruistic people survive in a highly competitive society? These questions are answered by the kin selection hypothesis.
The kin selection hypothesis is a theory proposed by biologist William Hamilton in 1963. It explains altruistic behavior in terms of the reproduction of one’s own offspring and relatives. The idea is that my altruistic behavior causes a loss to me, but indirectly benefits me because it helps my offspring and relatives who share my genes to thrive. For example, worker bees sacrificing their lives to protect the queen and her eggs can be explained by the kin selection hypothesis. Parents supporting their children materially and emotionally for decades until they become independent is also an important example of this hypothesis.
To further understand the reasons for altruistic behavior, it is important to look at it from the perspective of genes. From a gene’s perspective, humans are merely vehicles for its genes, and its primary goal is to replicate and reproduce itself. Therefore, genes drive altruistic behaviors that are necessary for their offspring to thrive. These behaviors in turn increase the chances of survival and replication of the genes.
However, the kin selection hypothesis is not a perfect theory that explains all altruistic behavior. Tim Clutton-Brock, a biologist at the University of Cambridge, has taken a critical look at the hypothesis, observing animal groups like meerkats and finding that altruistic behavior also occurs in unrelated individuals. In meerkat colonies, meerkats take turns watching the network, and when an intruder shows up, the meerkat that sends out a warning signal will sacrifice itself for the group, despite the increased risk of being seen and attacked. These behaviors occur regardless of kinship, which is difficult to explain with the kin selection hypothesis. In fact, even in human society, we often perform altruistic acts for strangers. For example, this includes small behaviors such as cleaning up a stranger’s shoes in a restaurant or holding the door for the next person when entering a building.
The kin selection hypothesis therefore explores why altruistic behavior occurs and how it has been able to persist in human society. Humans engage in altruistic behaviors to help their offspring thrive, in line with the goal of genes to replicate themselves as much as possible. Specifically, when altruistic behaviors are directed toward relatives and offspring with whom they share genes, they increase the chances of survival. Although the kin selection hypothesis does not fully explain altruistic behavior for non-family members, it provides important clues to understanding why altruistic humans have been able to survive in competitive societies. Furthermore, the contribution of this hypothesis to understanding the complexity and diversity of altruistic behavior remains significant.
