34 replies to this topic

[Scorpii]

carrot sprite on Nov 14 2008, 08:57 PM, said:

You don't have to give it the selfish and unselfish label to make it negative or positive...  Afterall, negative and positive are the same thing, just a different configuration of it.  That is another subject though.  

What I am saying is, everything you do, you do it for yourself.  When someone says they did something for someone else, they are really causing change to that person so it reacts with themselves.  The reaction to yourself may not be material, it may be spiritual or emotional.

Carrot Sprite, we share the same perception of reality. Everything oneself does is ultimately about oneself. After viewing the other posts, I want to elaborate on this perception. The reason why people think that this view is selfish is because of their perceptive association of what selfishness is that one should avoid negativity. Good, evil, positive, negative or morals… are all perceptions of the same thing.

[AlidaKU]

Is there such a thing as a selfless good deed? Saw this on a "Friends" episode tonight and it made me laugh.   Check it out... http://tylerzach.blogspot.com/2008/05/such...-good-deed.html

[OilFight]

After Googling "Altruism Debate," I came across this little gem:

Quote

A researcher was following a group of chimpanzees in the jungle. After some hours, he found that he had forgotten his lunch back at the research station. This researcher then proceeded to try to knock down fruit from a tree some distance from where the group of chimpanzees sat eating their mid-day meal. It has been noted that after some time of unsuccessful attempts to acquire fruit... a young male from the group collected some fruits from a tree and climbed down toward the researcher. The chimpanzee then proceeded to approach the researcher and leave the fruit for the researcher.

This instance has been noted as a true act of altruism by any definition since the chimpanzee was not of relation to the researcher (not in the last 1000 years at least) and this act was a cost to itself with no benefit. Therefore, I stand corrected on the notion of altruism...it seems to exist after all.

Source: http://scientificcuriosity.blogspot.com/20...f-altruism.html


So, either chimpanzees are capable of "feeling good" for committing acts of kindness, or there is such a thing as selflessness.

[arohk]

accually chimps are able to feel good and the chimp did gain from it like a dog doing something right it will get a reward the chimps do smile and feel remorse for hurting that is all scientifically proven so when the chimp gave the researcher food it would have felt good they never mentioned how long the reasurcher was studing them if it was over a few weeks its possible the chimps would hav3 been tring to welcome him to the community. I would say there is no act that you could think of that there woulden't be some personal gain even in the military going out into a battle field under fire to get a fellow soldier who is dead would be a personal gain.

[Phillee]

I agree, but it really means what you mean about being selfish. Feeling good about yourself is one thing, wether for your gain or less. Creating emotions for others loss is another.

Likewise, doing a good deed or making a sacrifice isn't always just to make yourself feel good. There are various othrer things you accomplish by doing good things. The good, gaining feeling is just associated with it.