Are humans capable of thoroughly selfless acts?

Question

I'm exploring this question as part of my English final, so I would appreciate lots of answers :-D. When I first started looking into this question, I was skeptical, but now I have gathered a lot of supporting evidence. One would assume that joining the Peace Corps is one of the most selfless things you can do, but there are some monetary benefits as well as the opportunity to learn a new language and skills for the buisness world. However, the movie Pay It Forward is a perfect display of how a young boy sparks random acts of kindness all over the area in which he lives for the sole reason of changing the world. But does the fact that we feel good after these selfless acts make it selfish? And what about people like Bill Gates donating large amounts of money to charity versus anonymous donations? Is the glorification of selfless people sometimes the only reason for these acts taking place? Does true selflessness exist? Just some things to think about.

What about things that are instinctive; things you do without even thinking of how you will feel afterwards or how it will affect others? Like when moms who are driving and have their babies in the car seat, if they have to brake all of a sudden and there hand flies out, just in case, to protect the baby.

Or how about random acts of kindness? I know someone who was walking in Chicago and a man came up to them and shook their hand, and when the man walked away they realized he had given them $100.

Answer 1

I'm not sure. If you don't get some sort of reward for doing something for others, you do feel good about it which benefits you. Remember that Friend's episode when Phoebe was trying to find a truly selfless act? She even let a bee sting her, but then Ross had to tell her that the bee died afterward.

Answer 2

Only in the most extreme cases.
If I'm about to be shot, and you jump in front of me and take the bullet, I would call it selfless. That's one of very few situations I'd think of as completely selfless.

If someone gives to charity, it makes them feel good, so there is, in part, a selfish reason behind it. The thing is, selfishness of this sort isn't a bad thing. Really the motivation behind an act doesn't matter as long as it has positive results.

Answer 3

To some extent to have life as appose to organic chemical your talking about fulfillment of needs, but the animal call mankind has been developing more elaborate social system since day one.
Personally believe people are both totally driven for pleasure, the pure animal side, and social needs, so key is getting more to fell good benefiting others:Humanist Pragmatism.Some people and acts may appear totally selflessness, but would rather state it as less self-centered.

Answer 4

Yes there are truly selfless acts, what about the person who can't stand someone but calls them anyhow to see how they are and helps them out? Perfect example, I call Rosemary my friend, I barely know her we go to the same therapist, but she's not really my friend, she annoys me to no end and there is no benefit to me to have a friendship with her nor do I want to but knowing she is very ill and having brain surgery Tuesday, I felt sorry for her, not guilt, just sorry she has to go through that and I called her to see how she was, not even out of curiosity, just because I felt she needed someone to talk to, she gabbed an hour about her health etc and when the call was over, no, I didn't feel good about calling her, so it was just a kindness on my part.

I think yo uwill find alot of people that do things like that, things they do for people they don't even know or like simply because they want to be kind to someone, they feel the person needs it, there is no benefit to them and they may even hate doing it but they just do it because they are being selfless.

Answer 5

Yes. However, many humans are so used to getting whatever again for whatever they do, that they believe the whole thing they do ought to warrant a present. Yet different humans fairly do matters readily out of the kindness in their center, anticipating not anything in go back. Oftentimes, they support out in which they as soon as wanted support, and the one method anybody might present it used to be via entire selflessness. One illustration is why I reply plenty of Yahoo! questions. I do not care approximately the facets, or whatever else fairly. I readily recognise what it feels love to have a query burning i my head perpetually that might pass unanswered, be it no longer for complete strangers giving the reply their exceptional shot.

Answer 6

Selflessness implies a critical opinion of one by another. I doubt one would consider oneself selfless. If that is true, then true selflessness may not exist, as one's actions are always critique'd by others, one's motivations always analyzed by others, one's purpose for action broken down and srutinized by others. It's how one feels inside that counts, and most givers of time, money, love, help, support feel genuinely good inside. So is'nt that what truly counts. My two cents only, and perhaps worth only as much...lol.

Answer 7

Absolutely! I was drowning under a car in the big Kansas City flood in the '70's, and one man risked his life to get to me, lifted my head out of the water, but couldn't pull me out due to the current. Another man came to help and together, they pulled me to solid ground! I'll always be thankful to them for their selflessness!! Mothers have been known to risk and sometimes lose their lives saving their children. This trait probably is not limited to humans--as it's the survival of all spieces.

Answer 8

I have to say yes, humans are capable of selfless acts. As a Marine, I have seen countless times this has been truth.

Take Cpl Dunham, a Medal of Honor Marine, who covered himself with a granade to save his fellow Marines. And he isn't the only one.

Answer 9

Hi Susan.

No humans are not capable of a selfless act. However, you can be the first by sending me all your money till the day you die and get rewarded for being selfless.

This is a truly sad truth. Everything that is done seemingly unselfishly can be explained and found to be a selfish act.

Answer 10

I think that it exists. My grandmother is the perfect example. All her life she has always done everything for everyone else and put herself last. The last few months she has been in and out of the hospital and is very sick and weak. Even now she still tries to do anything to help out even though she feels so awful.