In social psychology, a theory called psychological egoism is largely accepted. It states that people only act in self interest. If you are helping someone, it is because you are also helping yourself, even if it's just because you like the feeling of helping.

And so altruism, which is defined in social psychology as selfless help, has not been shown to exist. In fact with these two definitions accepted, it probably never can be. Dozens of researchers have tried, but each time a way of "they are gaining something" has refuted it.

However one researcher turned this framework on its head. She stated a theory of psychological altruism, that people only act in the interest of others. This is equally as undefeatable, any "egotistic action" can possibly have an altruistic purpose.

Psychological egoism is born in the context of christofascism and its that humanity is evil, providing the myth to justify a variety of colonial systems and institutions. It is certainly wrong, and the psych altruism shows how unscientific (infallible) it really is.

In reality, it is not difficult at all to make the case that humanity is good. We do not need to be selfless to be helpful, and most definitions of altruism are not so extreme as to demand selflessness. If people were not more helpful than harmful, society couldn't exist.