2007-10-10 15:57:32 · 19 answers · asked by ns 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
No.
Just look at all of our self-sacrificing heroes.
Remember New York, 9/11? Why would firefighters climb into a burning, collapsing building to rescue perfect strangers? Because their job was on the line? Right!
Some people are born heroic, selfless or they learn to be. And most of our society doesnt have a shred of it in them.
2007-10-10 16:03:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some are, Some arent. If we all believe that our acts are ONLY selfishly motivated, then we must all understand that each of us are simply trying to better ourselves and noone else. So if I steal your car, you should just understand that Im trying to better myself by stepping on you and being selfish to my own needs. Seems like that would be alot of understanding and if we were all selfish I have to imagine that we'd all be stealing cars, food, money and anything else we could to simply better ourselves. I think that some people act selfishly and unselfishly at different times. Some people should act more selfishly such as bettering themselves by going to school and doing well, and some should act less selfishly by helping out good causes more often. Some say that even helping out good causes is an act of selfishness because that person will feel the warm fuzzies for being helpful. However, I believe that is simply a way of someone belittleing selfLESS behavior and simply giving themselves a reason not to do anything good for anyone else.
2007-10-10 23:24:08 · answer #2 · answered by Angel Eve 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Of course. Take love. You find someone that makes you feel good inside and you what it takes to be with them forever. Cooking, holding the door, washing clothes, its all a way to get the person to accept you.
Having kids is selfish. You want to leave something of yours on the Earth when you die. All creatures do; its our purpose. Even some people have kids with the hope they will become rich so they spend all their money on the child's education. They may be saying, " I want whats best for my child" NOPE. They just want to say when the kid is winning the Noble Peace Prize,"Thats my child!" Ask anyone that if there child became a crackhead that does nothing but leech off of people, they will fill embarrassed and will hate them.
Charity is selfish too. People do it for the feeling of doing something right. If you where shocked everytime you donated, no one would do it. Even those that die for others do it so they will be remembered as a hero; if not my a group of people but by the person they saved. They might not know who saved them but they know someone did.
Killing yourself is selfish too. People do it as a weird way to get back at others or the world is just to painfully to live.
Even what Im doing is selfish. Im trying by best to get the best answer. Not for you but for me. I want the points. I could care less why you need it. YOu may need it for a essay or just for you own personal knowing so you can use it in some future conversation.
We are all on a ego trip. Everything we do because we benefit in some way from it.
2007-10-11 00:55:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I know I'm not, Are you? It seems like you think most people are so maybe you must be selfishly motivated yourself. Better change that if I was you.. Maybe then you might find some happiness.
2007-10-10 23:10:24 · answer #4 · answered by flowerpower 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No...when you act selflessly, you get a warm fuzzy! But if you seek out warm fuzzy feelings through the act of appearing to be selfless, it eludes you. The question is, "what's my motivation?" If you are driven to help others because it's the right thing to do...voila!
2007-10-10 23:15:02 · answer #5 · answered by Salsa Shark 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, i think mostly they are. I know I have a very low "guilt threshhold" (thank you mom).
we do things that make us feel good, or at least better than we would if we didn't do them.
that doesn't make us bad people-just human.
somehow it all works out usually.
I think for a lot of us our real motivations are at an unconscious level anyway. we muddle on, doing the best we can.
2007-10-10 23:17:34 · answer #6 · answered by sandyfirewind 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that would be a pessimistic way of looking at it. I gain a great deal in doing for others. Just a way I've come to be. I hope that I'm not being an idiot in this belief but it just makes me feel better about myself. If it feels right, do it!!!
2007-10-10 23:14:31 · answer #7 · answered by cowboybabeeup 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes
2007-10-10 23:02:20 · answer #8 · answered by Gobuk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not just human. This is the nature of life.
Even group behavior is just life trying to increase it's survival chances.
2007-10-10 23:24:31 · answer #9 · answered by Phoenix Quill 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Even when we do something nice for someone we do it for ourselves. The warm fluffy feeling it gives us inside... the promise of heaven. Then again, maybe we get that good feeling BECAUSE we acted unselfishly...
...
...Naw. We´re just selfish.
2007-10-10 23:08:44 · answer #10 · answered by Candice P 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋