Altruism is a deep seated pleasure!

Altruistic thoughts and acts "activated a primative part of the brain that usually lights up in response to food or sex." (Washington Post online 27 May 2007 attributes this work to Moll and Jordan Grafman of the National Institute of Health.)

Being nice to others is a deep, fundemental pleasure hardwired in the brain. And this shouldn't be surprising, because it feels so good.

Social animals need to recognise the moods and attitutes of others. We probably/possibly do this in large part by putting ourselves in the other shoes, by seeing (internally) what it would feel like to make a particlar gesture, face, attitude, and this creates an identification.

I've written, some, about the importance of social behaviour in my essay, The Animal Mind.

A brief effert to check the source of this news item brought more complex and ambiguous data - Grafman.

Aspirin Linked to Lower Risk of Cancer and Heart Disease:
New York Times, 19 June 2007

I've added willow bark powder to my morning herbs when I read last year that aspirin helps prostate too, a regular panacea, so meadow sweat and willow for ASA.

Burdock's the herb of the month. Fresh Burdock root tea, it's blue and its an effing elixir, for detox the key herb!