Do you believe we are selfish by nature?

Question

That everything we ever do is self motivated?

So if someone takes a bullet for someone else( knowing they can die) they are being selfish, how?

Answer 1

Absolutely, survival of the fittest. We are animals nomatter what anyone says.

EDIT When you do a good deed you feel better about yourself.
If you take a bullet for a friend you are held up in society. Could you live with yourself if you didnt help your friend or how would your family/kids see it. Your motivation is keeping your conciense(sp?) clean. Would you take a bullet for an enemy without no one ever knowing?

I think we do everything for some reason to benefit ourselfs. Is it always wrong, No.

Answer 2

Okay, saying " by nature" is saying "not a learned behavior" to me. Actually when you look back and think about it, when we were young children, even babies, most if not all of us cried to get what we wanted, right ? Consider taking something away from a baby, many times they will throw a fit. Could you not call that selfish by nature ? Not trying to demean babies or children, because that is their raw reaction before being taught, or learning lifes lessons you might say.So yes we are all selfish by nature. Now speaking of lifes lessons, as we get older, we all become molded into who we are today, including learned traits, some are proffessional criminals,some are politicians, some are priests, pastors and such, saying that , some people can overcome the dominance of what they are by nature, but it is always still there. Therefore, my answer is yes, we are selfish by nature.

Answer 3

I do believe we are selfish by nature. But I don't agree that everything is self motivated.

Most things I do because I think it's the right thing to do. This makes me feel good inside. (Does that make it selfish?)

Other times I have done things that I thought was right that had negative consequences on my life. I hurt peoples feelings and still did them because I believe it is the right thing. That is not self motivated because I chose the hard right over the easy wrong.

Answer 4

I disagree, I don't think we are selfish by nature. I think we are natural warriors. We are killers by nature. If you are not a personal warrior you worship war and the warriors. Well 99% anyway I acknowledge there are a few chicken hearts. We loved it while we were winning anyway. Nobody likes a loosing war. So many don't like to admit it either but deep down we would all like to scrape the Middle East off the face of the Earth. xx

Answer 5

I don't think that selfish is quite the right term. I believe we do always make decisions that we believe are in our best interest. However, sometimes it is in our best interest to work as a team rather than only to look out for oneself.

An example:
I just read an article about one theory as to why modern humans won out over the Neanderthals as the dominant species. Evidence suggests that in Neanderthal culture the women and children participated in the hunt just as the men did. However, in modern human tribes the women and children stayed home to tend to take care of home and hearth related activities while the men went out to hunt. This teamwork proved to be a strong advantage for the health of the overall tribe.

Answer 6

While we are in our ignorant stage of development, we are selfish.

At some point in our lives we will realize that we will never satisfy ourselves, and that we cannot make ourselves happy (except for short temporary "spurts" of self gratification).

Then we will search the world for a religion or a philosophy that will make us feel important. "If I can't be happy, at least maybe I can feel important." Religious leaders are like foxes waiting to trick us into thinking that if we support their empire, we will become important, be happy, and live forever"

Ironically, sometimes, that works for most people. But eventually it comes back to your question: Are we selfish my nature? Then to feel important, these folks "parrot" their religious leaders and fill this chat group full of catch phrases that are not only not based on the Bible, but contrary to the Bible.

Example: Jesus warned us not to worship him. Yet people not only worship him, they are now saying that he "is" God.

Back on track: Yes, our first instinct is to be selfish. But, our experiences soon teach us that the only way to be happy is to help others.

One final statistic: People who volunteer to help others (salvation army, red cross, toys for tots, etcetera are not only happier than most, they are healthier than most.

Yes, our first instinct is to be selfish. However, although selfishness appears to give us a better chance of survival, it can make you both unhappy and unhealthy.

Proof: Visit a charitable organization, and you will find some really happy and healthy folks working there.

Selfishness may be instinctive, but it is not a smart thing to do.

Answer 7

As it should be...you came here to fulfill YOUR agenda--a menu of experiences YOU wanted to create, for YOUR own purpose(s). This itinerary is something that YOU alone will judge when you return Home. Yes, the trip is all about YOU, and YOU are responsible for the all of it. This is the reality.

Now, as far as Earth beingness goes, yes, again...we are, just as all beings here, on an evolutionary path of survival with instinctive self-preservation...just the way of it.

Answer 8

Yes to question 1...just have a child & you will see that this is obvious.

No to question 2...I typically am motivated to help others because I care about them...however, I am not sure if an unsaved person has that ability (I'm still trying to observe that).

Answer 9

Scripture says all men are sinners and are selfish by nature.

Admitting this fact is part of getting right with God.

Only be receiving the Spirit of Christ in our hearts will we be able to overcome the sin nature, and become unselfish and thus bring glory to God.

Answer 10

Human nature is very self motivated toward self.