Selfless Acts

[Anonym0uz Bitch]

How many people believe that you a person can perform a selfless act, without any reward, and reward also counts as feeling good after helping someone, etc. Lets say you save someone, and you feel good about it later, that would disqualify you from being selfless. This is also known as Altruism.

I personally believe that nobody can perform a selfless act, if they do something good for someone, or something, then everyone tends to feel good about doing what they did, something tells me people will say they've helped someone without feeling good about it afterwards, and that is most certainly a lie, it is damn near impossible to not feel anything after helping someone, unless you die in the process of helping them.

 

[Babe_Ruth]

There's no doubt you'll feel great about it afterwards, saving someone life is one of the greatest things you can achieve in this world and if you don't feel great afterwards your being moddest.  I'd feel great even if someone didn't thank me or noticed that I saved someone from something terrible, i'd just be very happy with myself.


So do you believe there is such thing as a selfless act or not?

 

[SuiGeneris]

I understand the concept of altruism, but I kind've disagree with it.

I think the definition of a selfless act is doing something without the expectation (or thought) of a reward or good feeling. It all depends on whether you do the action for a reward or if you the do the action; out of love.

EX: If Jane was about to be shot, and I jump in the way and get shot in the shoulder.

Inevitably I will feel good about myself. I saved a human beings life, go me. However, at the time that I chose to jump in front of a bullet, my thought pattern was not, "Hey if I jump in front of this bullet then I will feel good about myself later," my thought pattern was most likely "No!! I love Jane, she can't die!!"

The classification of the act lies entirely in the motive of the action. (As you stated) However, I do believe there are some selfless acts out there. I'm not saying they are committed very often, but I do believe they exist. Saying its not a selfless act because a person is rewarded later, is something I really don't buy into.

If someone does an action that is worthy of a reward, it does not mean that the action has become less important. If its a selfless act, then it stays a selfless act, someone (or a group of people) see the selfless act, and chose a reward to give. The action itself is selfless, the consequences afterwards may be different.

 

[Babe_Ruth]

I guess that true in some way. I say that I don't mind if I don't get rewarded or reconized for it now...but after i'll be thinking yo I just risked my life to save someone and nobody cares cause of it. I thinbk it's gonna drive me insane. But also just saving someone should satisfy me enough.

 

[Pugz]

No such thing! It's been tested and proven.

No matter what you do, something good will come of it. If donate to a charity, you feel good about it because you're helping. If you congratulate someone (even if you don't really like them) you're making them feel better.

There's no selfless good deed!

p.s You've been watching Friends, haven't you Butters?

 

[Babe_Ruth]

That's true. If you say hello to a person with not a lot friends and usually doesn't talk to a lot of people that hello can save his life. So what you just said is totaly correct.

Suggestion of the day: Say hello to someone you think needs it

 

[Uber_mutt]

I think the answere is yes because like Sui Generis said if Jane is about to get shot I would stand in front of her with out hesitations because I don't want Jane to die. After I would be happy because Jane didn't die but I don't think I would be happy because I preformed that act of saving her. But the whole charity thing is right as well...you donate because you want them to be happy and you feel happy after wards...but is it because the homeless people are happy or is it because you did a good deed. I'd be happy because heck the homeless people have food...or what ever.

 

[A.M. Radio]

What if your INTENTION is not to make yourself feel good? I mean, you really can't control feeling good afterwards. But your intentions can be simply to help others.

 

[Pugz]

Think of one then. I doubt you can though, but if you do we'll tell you if it's a selfless deed or not.

 

[Anonym0uz Bitch]

Actually no Pugz, it's in my Social Psychology class, we were having a debate on it, and we concluded that you cannot have a selfless act, regardless if you make a snap decision and do something, you WILL feel good about it afterwards, thus making it not a selfless act, since you feel good about yourself. Altruism is defined as the act of helping another with no thought of reward, this would include afterwards, feeling good about yourself would count as a reward.