Have you EVER done anything purely to benefit someone else, with nothing in it for you?
2006-12-11 07:16:07 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Well, the 2 points I'm getting for this is next-to-nothing, so it's kind of altruistic.
But, yeah, I try to give away something of value every day. I don't think I'm getting anything out of it - I just think the world isn't as gracious as it used to be.
You know, for thousands of years, every civilization had a tradition that provided for charity for the "stranger-at-the-gate."
It was just common sense and your civility that, if a traveler needed food and shelter for the night, you provided it.
I think that's disappeared, but only in the last 50 or so years.
2006-12-11 07:27:02 · answer #1 · answered by gabluesmanxlt 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had this debate in my A level class.
I would say that the only really altruistic act I can think of is a parent of an extremely sick child with a long-term degenerative illness (with no prospect of recovery), euthanising the child or letting the doctors switch off the machines.
It would be devastating for the parent but in the child's best interest.
2006-12-11 07:22:00 · answer #2 · answered by fizzy_wolf 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that everything that we do for others has some benefit in it for us. But when it comes to our kids and stuff, then I suppose these acts would be considered altruistic.
2006-12-11 07:23:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is a difficult question. You may do something for a friend, would that be Altruistic, or does the fact that you get their friendship, trust or gratitude make it an egotistical act. Its almost imposssible to judge something like that.
We gain something from everything we do, although the act itself may be selfless.
2006-12-11 08:14:33 · answer #4 · answered by Georgie's Girl 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, altruism is a fallacy. If you can interject the word "I" into any great sacrifice than it can't be altruism.
Example; man jumps off bridge to save drowning child. When asked why he responds "the child would have died". When asked why that matters to him, the answer will always be something like"I" couldn't live with myself if "I" let that happen."
People misinterpret selfishness as a bad thing, and it often is not a bad thing.
2006-12-11 17:36:48 · answer #5 · answered by rynay 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, because the act of doing, or giving benefits me...
Edit: Fizzy Wolf makes an excellent point!
2006-12-11 07:24:01 · answer #6 · answered by purplepartygirrl 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yes! But I am not at that level yet. I have done good acts but I feel sometimes they have been to satisfy my own ego, sometimes out of compassion, sometimes because of my conscience.
2006-12-11 07:29:16 · answer #7 · answered by glgl 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
no even the pious ones are egotesticle!
2006-12-11 07:28:00 · answer #8 · answered by catweazle 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋