What Is the Ratio of Egoists to Altruists in the World?

Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes that 90 percent of people are egoists and 10 percent are altruists.

The root of this division stems from qualities in nature that are described in the wisdom of Kabbalah. In Kabbalistic terms, the light, which is the upper force of love and bestowal, creates the vessel, the receptacle that receives the fulfillment from the light, from ten Sefirot (emanations or parts). The uppermost part is named “Keter,” the pure quality of giving. Afterward come the Sefirot of Hochma, Bina, Hesed, Gevurah, Tifferet, Netzah, Hod, Yesod and Malchut, the last of which is the part most opposite to the quality of giving.

Therefore, between Keter, the quality of absolute giving, and Malchut, the quality of absolute reception, all our other qualities exist. Accordingly, we can say that 10 percent of people living on Earth strive or would like to live in a society of giving, love and mutual support. The other 90 percent are generally inclined toward egoism to various extents depending on their own proportions of egoism and altruism acting in them. Nevertheless, closer to Malchut are those parts of humanity that possess enormous egoism.