Ethics is funny and sad

I should not be trusted to meld young and impressionable minds. I've just come home from teaching and have succeeded in making all my students horribly, horribly depressed. Well, maybe not all of them, but a significant majority. They left hanging their heads in dejection and bemoaning the horrible state they found themselves in. They are now all confronted with the possibility (probability, certainty? I let them decide.) that no one can ever, under any circumstances, act altruistically.

I am sad that I managed to so completely and utterly depress them and shatter their rose-coloured ethical dreams. I am sad. But I'm also ever so slightly pleased. Ever so guiltily-slightly pleased. Though what do I have to feel guilty about, especially if altruism is false.

One of the students left muttering something about getting a gun so she could rob people and do whatever she wanted, since there is no altruism. . . I wonder if I should be concerned.