“Altruism is a benevolent state of mind. To be altruistic is to be concerned about the fate of all those around us and to wish them well. This should be done together with the determination to act for their benefit. Valuing others is the main state of mind that leads to altruism.” Mathieu Ricard, CEO of Nature Conservancy and author of Nature’s Fortune. This article discusses why altruism is necessary to sustain the human species.