Parents' self-sacrifice for progeny not really altruism??

Question

Supposedly this is true, but I don't understand why. It actually sounds like a perfect example of altruism. Can anybody help?

Answer 1

Altruism assumes that you are getting no benefit a behavior that helps someone else. Taking a strictly fitness related view-point, an organisms main goal in life is to produce as many living offspring as possible (either in quality or quantity) in order to pass on it's genetic material. So, by keeping your progeny alive, you are working towards that goal.

Answer 2

whole organisms are genes' clever way of propogation. there is a famous saying "i would sacrifice my life for 2 siblings or 8 cousins" since your sibling shares 1/2 your genes, therefore two of your siblings will have all your genes (1/2 + 1/2). et cetera...blah blah blah. so as a offspring you share 1/2 your genes with either parent, it would be "better" for your parent to sacrifice him/her-self for at least 2 children to "break even"

but that's really simplistic.