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Altruism or Selfishness? Which drives us?

I know that "he" doesn't necessarily refer to a male (I've used it in the sense you speak of myself), but since you were referring to me, a specific person, I supposed it wouldn't do any harm to point out I'm female. :\ I wasn't offended, nor did I mean any offense.
 
Mirry said:
I know that "he" doesn't necessarily refer to a male (I've used it in the sense you speak of myself), but since you were referring to me, a specific person, I supposed it wouldn't do any harm to point out I'm female. :\ I wasn't offended, nor did I mean any offense.
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I didn't know prior, and I couldn't find it in the profile. Sorry.
 
For those of you who seem to hate the word 'selfishness', feel free to substitute it with some other word, it's all still true.

It's not like our selfishness leaves us unable to make others happy; we're not all selfish in the sense that some of us are motivated to help people, but it all comes down to your benefit in the end.
 
I agree that most things are driven by selfishness, but that necessarily doesn't have to be negative.

If you jumped in front of a bullet for someone, that would mean that you shared a very close bond. They make you feel very good when you are around them, you love them so very much because of this. And you jumped because you didn't want them, and the good feeling they give you, to go away. Which would be selfish. What matters, I say, is that you could feel so strongly for somebody like that in the first place, even if you get benefit from it. So jumping in front of a bullet is a very noble thing, not because it is selfless, but because you felt very strong feelings for that person and it is very noble that you are capable of feeling those feelings in the first place!

I mean, it is very cool that you could like somebody THAT much and that they make you feel THAT good that you are willing to jump in front of a bullet for them. Even if you get benefit from it, that doesn't really matter. The point is that doing things for your own benefit (selfishness) isn't bad, as long as you don't hurt anybody. And if it also benefits other people, then that's great! Because then, everyone can get something good from it. And it makes you feel good that others feel good and you want to do more of these good things because you get this good feeling.

I think it's nice when people feel good from doing charity work and stuff like that and even if they do it not to help the people but because it makes them feel that way. The point is that they're feeling good for doing nice things in the first place, because that says that seeing other people happy makes them happy and they want to make more people happy so that they can get that good feeling. And it is selfish, but so what? At least it motivates them to help people, you know?

I wonder if that made any sense? I'm just rambling, you guys, I'm sorry if this makes no sense.
 
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Everything is at some level selfish; even donating to charity in spite of no personal or emotional reasons to. It's obviously within your agenda to do so, ergo a selfish motivator. The question is where the line is drawn.
 
Deretto: It's quite all right, no hard feelings. :)

Arylett: I think that makes perfect sense, actually! Even though you're getting benefits, too, from helping people, that doesn't mean you're doing something bad.

Crazy Weavile: To what line are you referring?
 
Course in the same theory you can prove that everything you do is for some other person. Wether you plan it or not.
 
opaltiger said:
Elaborate.
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Well, think of conditioning for one. Just the way you're raise and the way you act in society. It's a way of life that's passed down from one generation to the next.

This debate here. Why are you trying to prove something to everyone else. You think it's fun? You wouldn't be debating if there were no one to debate for would you?

The food you eat. When you're going out, you restrict yourself from certain spices. As a child you ate vegetables because you had to. You've grown to like them now that you're older. You eat them because you've been taught that they're good for you.

You groom yourself just to avoid those looks. You still wear clothes on a hot summer day because of the laws that have been placed even if you're comfortable with your body.
 
Deretto said:
This debate here. Why are you trying to prove something to everyone else. You think it's fun? You wouldn't be debating if there were no one to debate for would you?
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... you just answered your own question. Because it's fun!

The food you eat. When you're going out, you restrict yourself from certain spices. As a child you ate vegetables because you had to. You've grown to like them now that you're older. You eat them because you've been taught that they're good for you.
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And you answered your own question again: because they're good for you!

You groom yourself just to avoid those looks. You still wear clothes on a hot summer day because of the laws that have been placed even if you're comfortable with your body.
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yes because not going to jail is preferable to having to wear clothes.

name as many situations as you like, there will always be benefit to you.
 
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