Title The Kindness Of Strangers / Director: Skirving, Rhian

Published Australia : ABC, 2006

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Description 1 online resource (streaming video file) (55 min. 9 sec.) ; 333136892 bytes Summary For decades, science has declared human nature ruthlessly selfish. Competitiveness and self-interest have come to define us. But could human nature be as good as it is bad? And could new science reveal the true nature of humankind? As the horror of the Asian tsunami played out on our television screens, the world was gripped with an instinctive need to reach out to its victims. It was a poignant moment and one that graphically illustrated a defining characteristic of the human race - altruism.But why would we risk our own wellbeing to help complete strangers?Compass follows the personal stories of three volunteers who, when the tsunami hit, dropped everything to fly to Sri Lanka to help. Charlotte Eaton, a piano teacher from London, is working one-on-one with locals to help them rebuild their shattered lives. John Cooper, a Sydney doctor, is working with a relief team trying desperately to prevent a potentially lethal outbreak of disease. And Feri Tisch, a Hungarian aid worker, is working to get fresh drinking water to the hardest hit eastern coast. Interwoven within the observational stories leading scientists and commentators explore the nature of the altruist. Does altruism really exist? Why are humans so compelled to help? Is the behaviour instinctive or learned? How does empathy work? What goes on in our brains when we witness suffering? And why do we feel good when we help? PRODUCTION DETAILS:A Prospero Productions film. Director/Writer: Rhian Skirving. Producers: Julia Redwood and Ed Punchard Event Broadcast 2009-12-27 at 14:00:00 Notes Classification: PG Subject Altruism. Dawkins, Richard, 1941-. Disaster victims -- Services for. Empathy -- Social aspects. Indian Ocean Tsunami (2004) Volunteer workers in social service -- Societies, etc. Sri Lanka. Form Streaming video Author Doogue, Geraldine, host Rabe, Pamela, cast Skirving, Rhian, director

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