Have you ever done a truly selfless act? What was ?

Question

Everything we do is for some reason whether right or wrong.... right?

Answer 1

One day I took the change from my change bowl and when walking to and from work fed all the parking meters that looked like there were going to expire soon. Small change for me literally, but it might have saved someone $50 - and they probably didn't even know.

Answer 2

Wrong - I have done many selfless acts. One that stands out most is saving a woman and her grandson from drowning. It had nothing at all to do with me. When I think back on it I feel somewhat scared knowing now that I endangered my own life by rescuing them but at the time, at the very moment, there was absolutely no thought of self - and I need mention that I am not a very good swimmer which is why I get scared thinking about it.

At the time I did feel fear but I did not hesitate to do it anyways. Both people I had never met before in my life and have never crossed paths with since and probably never will. It's been about 2 years (or more since). I am not sure of the time since I don't think about often at all.

Answer 3

Your question seems to be two--a selfless act, & some reason whether right or wrong. Could a selfless act be wrong? Whatever, perhaps I'm getting too weary to answer questions. Muga Wa, freebird & Kimberly said it all as far as "selfless" is concerned. This question intrigued me because there are people who truly believe it's impossible to do ANYTHING without some sort of selifish motive, & I don't agree. In other words, you died to save the drowning man because you wanted the "fame" of being a martyr; you gave to "the poor" for the image of being a compassionate person. Nonsense. I've always felt that the ONLY gift is one given anonymously, no praise, no one to thank you & no one to give you a reward. How encouraging to see such sincere, wonderful answers. As for "reason," not necessarily. Often, people do things on "automatic" without a thought as to "reason."

Answer 4

I agree that there is some gratification for the doer in every act done. But that does not prevent a nearly selfless act, as when the burden of guilt were the doer to fail to do an act is so great that he cannot refuse to do it.

When a person dashes into the path of an auto to save a child, he is responding to a balance between the horror in seeing the child hit and the chance of being hit himself. He may even choose not to live at all rather than to live with the image of the child being struck as he does nothing.

I may have done other little acts of that sort for that reason, but I can only remember one simple, selfless and truly generous act in my life.

A long time ago, before you born probably, my little brother (about 8 years old) and I (two years older) hitch hiked to a near by town. We stayed nearly all day and had not eaten since breakfast. Before we started home late in the evening, I spent the last of our money on two "fried slices" at a bakery. I was starved, really in pain, and so was he. As we walked to the edge of town he consumed his slice. I held back a while, but when we stopped to wait for cars, I could see he was still famished, and I gave him that other slice.

I will tell you that never was I hungrier in my life, and that fact made me proud of myself for having denied myself for another. That act was not without a payoff. To this day, it gratifies me to recall that event, and that, of course, was the motive. I could not stand to see my brother hungry, but I could stand to be hungry. There was a selfish motive.

I can't recall ever having done another thing in my life where the payoff was in that way greater than the immediate sacrafice. But try to imagine the Vice President being motivated by such a sentiment. It doesnt work with everyone.

Answer 5

I am not sure it was truley selfless on my part, but I know it took alot of effort to do. A couple years ago my stepmother was diagnosed with Terminal Breast Cancer. Before that (and even for a while after that) she was my worst enemy. Things she had done and said to me over the years had made me very depressed, and at times suicidal. Despite this, when the time came and I was needed I schedulaed my college classes, and my work scheduale around her. I stayed home and babysat her when she couldnt be alone, and kept her company on mothers day (despite my own mother being near by, and wanting to see me). And near the end I spent my hard earned money to send her to Las Vegas as it was her favorite place, and she had family there. I didnt live with her, and my relationship with her had ruined my relationship with my father. And despite this I still helped. I think its pretty selfless. As I got NOTHING out of it.

Answer 6

If you are a psychologically well developed person, or a self actualized person, then performing selfless acts is effortless. The truth of the matter is majority of human beings are not the well developed psychologically, i.e stage 6 of human psychological development. Very few fit the bill, for instance Mother Teresa, Buddha, Yogis etc.

The only person who can let you know what selfless acts you or anyone else could have performed, is the person that watches you from a far, when you are not looking.

I can think of many "selfless" acts that I performed. However, in my opinion, they cease to be selfless acts when I am seeking attention or recognition for them. Thus, I think it's better for me to keep them secret. My point is this: if I seek recognition for it, then I was really seeking attention and not really interested in performing the selfless act.

Answer 7

Right action attenuates the self to the self, conventionally. Perhaps this is why, in most faiths, Eastern and Western, extinction of the self is sought after as a "Blessedness", "Nirvana", "Union with God", and so on. These faiths recognize that suffering and the self are constituents to the same preternatural scheme. Right action does not occur in a vacuum. If we see other selves performing good deeds we must take them to heart. But most often, sadly, we take them for granted. Or, we just plain don't "see" because we're not "looking". It is significantly more difficult to adjudge the right action when one considers that this idea might play out over time. My own actions have run the gambit! If I told of something I am proud of, I would have to also tell of one of my failures.

Answer 8

I went to louisiana to do animal rescue after Katrina. I use a wheelchair and deal with chronic pain from nerve damage and also have fibromyalgea. I knew when I went that it would cause a "flare". I stayed almost 3 weeks, came home sick as a dog, the average volunteer lost 5 lbs a week, myself included. and I did have a major fibro flare for months afterwards. I went because I just couldnt sit home and watch another minute, and beacuse I could.

But... I will do it again, and all my rescue gear is packed and ready for the next disaster season. Meanwhile I am getting my CERT training and taking FEMA classes online.

Candice

Answer 9

Wrong.It is not important to know whether we have done selfless acts or not .But, what is very important is that we should all know that, yes, there are millions of people who do selfless acts in any time of the day and in any place of the world.The motive for this is LOVE. For example,think about all the loving and caring mothers.........fathers .....sisters.........brothers............friends.........even strangers..........Well, anybody who cares about LIFE does selfless acts.

Answer 10

I am a single mother, and I perform selfless acts everyday because it's the right thing to do.

Answer 11

I have spoken to a group of AA people before. I thought it was a selfless thing to do but in the end I felt better.. So i would say it benefited everyone!
Thanks