do humans actually stick together out of empathy, or are we just using each other?
Been thinking about this a lot lately and honestly, i can’t shake the cynicism. if we strip away all the fake wholesome stuff, the "community spirit," and the romanticized ideas of love, what’s the actual glue holding society together? do people genuinely care about empathy, or are we just deeply transactional creatures who tolerate each other because it’s easier to survive that way? i feel like almost every relationship we build whether it's friendships, marriage, or even networks is just a hidden trade deal. we need someone else's labor, their money, their validation, or just their presence so we don't die of existential. like, if you have absolutely nothing to offer, society pretty much discards you, right? so is "love" or "solidarity" just a fancy word for mutual exploitation? i’m curious to know your takes on this. is true, selfless altruism even real or is everything just a transaction wrapped in a nice bow?