We are instinctively selfish, is there any deed we perform that is actually selfless?

Question

Even helping someone else gives us a feelgood factor which is ultimately self-satisfying

Answer 1

I personally think that in everything we do there is a grain and an aspect that CAN be viewed as altruistic, if we were only selfish I guess we would not be living with and around people, but maybe in a forest somewhere where we could concentrate ONLY on our self . If u think about it, one little and simple example would be that we don't make noise the way we would like sometimes cos we disturb neighbours.
But this is only an opinion. It is very true what you say that when we help someone gives that self-satisfaction, but personnaly I do not do it for that. I would help someone firstly because they need the help and then I get that 'feel good' that the gesture gives you, and I take it as a little reward. ;-)

Answer 2

i think it would depend on your reason for doing the ' deed'.

i.e. - you go into a super market and some items have been knocked off a shelf - you put them back and inform the staff who thank you - good deed but you were expecting the staff to thank you

same situation but you put the stuff back on the shelf thinking it might get damaged or someone could trip over it - no one knows you've done it - i would say this was an instinctive selfless act as you had no expectations but did the right thing anyway

i think it comes down to your frame of mind at the time - if i do something for someone i don't think of the gain and even if i did what difference does it make

does every good deed have to be selfless

Answer 3

Disagree ... Manners are a selfless act. Helping others is a selfless act. Its when you expect that pat on the back that takes away from the good deed.
Loving other ppl is a selfless act or should be. When you will put up with crap to make anothers life better is a selfless act. Does it makes us feel better? -- Not in all cases
Stating it the way you have kind of takes away from the beauty of a person being selfless. At least I think it does.

*Sprinkle, I'm not stating that I think I'm better. Where do you see that? Never said I'm without flaw nor was I judgmental about others. I've been quite selfish at times in my life. Plus, you misinterpreted my meaning of selfless love.*

Answer 4

As an Atheist I feel good when I help others and I don't help people to get to Heaven so I guess I am less selfish than believers of God.

However, there are truly selfless acts. Like lying on a grenade to save your fellow soldiers, jumping in a river to try save someone you don't even know -- things like that.

Answer 5

No every being has been created to be instinctively helping the cycle of life to continue.Survival of the fittest is another phenomenon which overtakes the situation because the fittest can only survive because of the sacrifice of the weaker.What you are talking is not an instinct but an individual reaction.The most important function of any specy is to produce offsprings and rear it in the most appropriate manner.It can be noticed that life survived and was sustained in most antagonising circumstances by one generation to the other.If this sense of sacrifice would not have been there, life would have perished since long.

Answer 6

This is a semantic rather than a moral issue. It all depends on how you define the terms "selfish" and "selfless". If any act that makes you feel good is considered as selfish act, then by definition there's really nothing one can do that can be considered truly selfless.

Answer 7

Not intentionally, but not securing our property, house car, cycle etc, invites theft or damage to be done to our property for which their is no self satisfaction, however positive people will benefit from the experience, by learning from it.

Edit: Doesn't Kajintins point, although true, illustrate your point, by making him seem better than the rest of us.
By love I mean without requiring the other person to do what I want, but I like being this way, so it is still selfish.

Answer 8

No. vanity of vanities says the wise man. All is vanity and grasping for wind. We all have satans fallen nature Self nature and everything we do is what our sinful fallen nature drives us towards. So if there is an occasion when it is selfless it is rare. Being a parent is the closest thing to it.

Answer 9

I disagree.

If we were as selfish as you claim, I doubt that the world would have progressed as far as it has.

I'm not saying there isn't any selfishness, just that it isn't the general rule.

There are many cases of people knowingly risking or even sacrificing their life to save others. If we were instinctively selfish, I doubt the feelgood factor would motivate such people.

Are you selfish? Always?

Answer 10

The Universe is all about balance. If you do something good for someone, it is natural to feel satisfaction. It balances the equation. Also, I think you need to look at intent/motivation for helping others. I believe that many help due to a genuine desire or love for their fellow man. I don't necessarily think they consciously think, "Hey, I'll feel good if I help that lady change her flat tire." The feeling of satisfaction is merely a by-product of the action. It also acts as a reinforcement to continue to give of yourself. Again, it's about balance/exchange.