As a general rule, do people do good deeds mostly with altruistic motives or selfish motives?

Answer 1

I see a lot of people do good deeds for the latter -- they want or expect something in return. I see it in the arts all the time, where someone gives a huge sum of money to an organization, and get their name plastered on something.

I was brought up to act benevolently, and to do so as anonymously as possible. And I have to tell you, it's just the best feeling to do something and NOT receive recognition for it -- it's really the only way we can do a purely good act, since egotism isn't wrapped up in it.

Oh, and there are quite a few people who share my outlook and attitude. Care to join us?

Answer 2

I don't think there IS a "general rule" here, or even a verifiable "mostly" (though I'm happy to see, not just one, but two qualifiers in your question).

Think about how this could be determined: You'd have to look at every seemingly altruistic act, and for each, determine whether it was solely for altruistic motives, or also had some selfish motives in it.

That would be a pretty huge (and often impossible) task, wouldn't it?

There are people who do things that seem altruistic, who are getting some benefit from it; there are people who do things just to be kind.

Almost everyone has done some of both in their lives.

Since there is such a thing as doing an altruistic thing for selfish motives, people tend to obsess on those cases.

I like to think of examples I've seen hundreds of times: Someone getting on a bus drops something.

Several people call out to that passenger, and one or two jump up to pick up the thing and give it back.

Yes, the person who hands it back gets thanked -- but still.

This sort of (trivial, I know) thing happens gazillions of times all the time.

I say all those people who responded did so for altruistic motives.

There are people who would say that the thrill of pleasure they got from helping makes it selfish; I think those people are missing the entire point of the distinction.

Answer 3

Few of us do good deeds knowing that they'll leave us broke, friendless, crippled or dead. The people that face those possibilities are obviously willing to take that chance and would seem to be altruistic.

Some expect that good deeds will cost us money to buy luxuries, a friend, tired or sore muscles, even sadness (Like working a rape crisis hotline). They consider the cost worth the effect on other people's lives or the satisfaction they gain from what they've done--which might be considered altruistic or selfish.

I believe, however, that most good deeds aren't done with any motive. They arise from habits of how to live together, what people do. They may have been inculcated from one set of motives or both, but they persist due to habit without consciousness thought, rather like using obeying traffic lights. Is that altruistic (so I don't hit anyone) or selfish (so oncoming traffic doesn't hit me)? Neither, most of the time, it's automatic.

Answer 4

There is an old saying - 'There is no thing as the free lunch'. It means every thing that you do has some selfish motive behind it. Now if you consider the good deeds, the theory says that people do it for peace of mind or to earn the mental satisfaction. So in a way, the good deeds are done to satisfy your own needs – mental or emotional .. whatever you may call them. Since we tend to measure everything in materialistic manner, we do not consider the emotional or mental needs of others as far as these deeds are concerned. But yes, in a way there is a selfish motive behind these deeds too. But it does not change the importance of those deeds or the greatness of those who do it.

Hope I am not rambling too much :-))

Answer 5

I don't think that there is a general rule, and I also doubt that one can or should forget about getting a feedback to good deeds that makes us feel acknowledged, understood, appreciated. Being completely altruistic most oftem might just cover some own interests. There is nothing wrong with following own interests when doing good deeds. It depends on the sort of interest one follows. And there seems to be an affinity between claimed altruism and just ignorance and indifference.

Answer 6

Doing a GOOD deed means doing something and letting go with out expecting anything in return. If later you remind that person that you did that for them then it really was a selfish motive. Inable to do atruly good deed you have to do as if you were not even the person who did it. Really someone prompted this kind of behavior and that Person is not visible as you should be after the good deed. T4

Answer 7

Selfish.

There does not need to be monetary nor tangible gain on the part of the giver. In most cases of charity, a gain in status or adherence to one's beliefs/worldview is the ultimate motive. Absolute altruism is not a possibility. There is always something to be sought when doing good deeds. Some even do it out of spite for the recepient or towards another (to prove they are superior).

Answer 8

The rule says that we like to think our actions are backed by altruistic motives; this of course is selfish thinking but we cannot help it.
Now, only by freeing the Self you can truly give, that of course is the most difficult thing.

Answer 9

it depends on the goals of the good deeds and also on the kind of ppl with different intentions, some are altruistic and do things in common/general interest but sadly in reality most of them do what's best in their own interest and importance whether it's a good deed or not.

Answer 10

Honestly, I think a little of both.

At times, people have a personal connection, like a relative or someone they know that has or had Leukemia therefore they donate to that cause. Or, if they are religious, donate because of the teachings and promise of an afterlife.

But often also, they see, perhaps on television, the plight of a certain person that touches their heart and feel compelled to either volunteer their services or donate there as well.

Sometimes too, the love of a particular object, such as animals, also compels them to take action. Such as protest against companies that do animal testing or a fur company, or volunteer for an animal shelter to take care of strays or abandoned animals.

~jaz~