For those of you out there with stone hearts and the notion that other people can’t be trusted, this goes out to you. If you have lasted through the initial stages of chaos and destruction and have more than enough to survive, then you are probably much better off than most of those around you. If you can navigate the streets of your area safely because you have transportation that others do not, you are most likely enjoying privileges that others cannot. If this is the case at any given point, you can still not rest assured that the circumstances will always be in your favor. This is why, from a standpoint of reason rather than ethics, it would be beneficial to open your door to the drifter struggling to survive in harsh times.

The Good

There are a number of advantages to altruism, many of which have been studied in creatures other than humans. Scientists have explained, evolutionarily, why altruism and sharing might be in our genetics, although despite the scientific evidence to support altruism, keeping open doors is just good logic.

Reputation

First off, a good reputation will always come in handy when it comes to any sort of negotiation or compromise. Such a reputation makes it easier for you to be trusted by those around you, and therefore more likely for resolutions in conflict between those that know you and yourself to be in your favor to some degree. Showing hospitality towards strangers and neighboring survivors will definitely boost your reputation.

Do Unto Others

Secondly, those who are treated well by you are more likely to come to your aid when things go awry for you. For example, if looters, the scum of the earth, came to your place of residence and did severe damage to your defenses and maybe even successfully raided a significant portion of your supplies, local survivors who hear the news may come to your aid as you have done for them in the past. They may be willing to offer you supplies and/or help you repair, or even allow you to stay with them until you manage to fix things on your own. Helping others potentially turns a completely devastating and threatening turn of events into a less severe setback in which you can still maintain a good level of safety.

The Circle, Unbroken

Finally, acts of good will bring communities together and make them stronger by means of unification. A stronger community increases the likeliness of survival for all. One is likely to entertain your philosophies and integrate them with their own when they are subjected to it. They are more likely show hospitality to other neighbors, who would likely employ the same philosophy as well. As this pattern progresses, the community becomes unified and therefore is no longer as hostile an environment. When it isn’t living against living, nobody is alone.

The Bad

On the other hand, it can be very dangerous to open your door to strangers for obvious reasons. For those of you who are guileless in your ways, I shall enlighten you to the ways of those that could prove to be a major threat to you if you are a hospitable, good natured person. Such people cannot help but take advantage of those who are vulnerable to them.

Enough For Everyone

Perhaps the biggest issue with sharing your supplies and being altruistic is that if you give away food to those in need, you will suddenly be left with less when you are in need. Altruism might beget altruism, but it also begets hunger if supplies are found to be lacking. There will be a very fine line that must be walked to keep enough supplies around for one's self and still be able to be altruistic, in many cases, it may just be easier to not be altruistic.

Free Ride

There are those who would see hospitality as an opportunity to take advantage of trust and attempt to take what is yours. People like this will always exist, so you must be wary as to who you let into your residence to help. Cut-throats and looters will take everything you have in their own desperation and greed. People will be exposed to such horrors they will find that their number only priority is to survive, and not to help others. These people will not hesitate to hurt you.

That's What Losers Say

Hospitality may be misinterpreted as foolishness or weakness. Those around you may not respect you for your mercy and helpfulness, until they need your help. If they are open about their lack of respect towards you, and come to you for help, do not refuse them. The power of kind actions can be enough to change a person’s entire attitude.

Conclusion

In my own opinion, I feel that the pro’s of hospitality heavily outweigh the con’s. However, this will not be the case for many of you out there, and it is important to form your own ideas on how to deal with the other survivors around you. Either way, I hope you have taken something from this article that has impacted your plans for social interaction in the days of zombie doom, be it against what I have written or for it. If this is the case, please feel free to make suggestions or arguments.