The Brain Changing (and World Changing) Power of Altruism | Matthieu Ricard

"Altruism is not something we can only afford when things are going really well - it is the most pragmatic answer to the challenges of our time." Matthieu Ricard is a molecular biologist turned Buddhist monk, best-selling author, humanitarian, and translator to the Dalai Lama. He has written three books on happiness and compassion, and dedicated his career to studying altruism, it's relevance to the modern world, and its effects on the brain. In this intimate and enlightening talk he highlights the neuroscientific evidence for the impact of compassion, how it changes the structure of the brain, and how it can be leveraged to solve some of the world's toughest problems. He also debunks the myth of universal selfishness, bringing some surprising insights and evidence to topics like empathic burnout, caring economics, and the link between money and happiness.