Can you enjoy being altruistic?

Can you?
If you enjoy it then surely that is your reward?


(This debate for fun only ... it is the GF after all!)

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Can you?
If you enjoy it then surely that is your reward?


(This debate for fun only ... it is the GF after all!)

Really not happy with all these people from three different forums all bending over backward to come up with reasons not to help others out. Yes, it's selfishness, and yes, these people are looking for something, anything, to justify their reprehensible selfishness.

So much for being the most highly evolved species on the planet.

You want to be selfish? You want to not have to care what happens to anybody except yourself? Great. Just don't ask me to get all excited about it or ask me to pat you on the back and congratulate you for it. What goes around comes around.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
Can you enjoy being altruistic?

Can you?

If you enjoy it then surely that is your reward?

I would say that a lot of my everyday "altruism" is stuff I enjoy doing and therefore not really very altruistic in the true sense of the word. Yes, I demonstrate concern for the well-being of others (in the work I choose to do, for example, and in social interactions) but I would mostly not describe it as disinterested or selfless. Maybe would-be altruists who get satisfaction from seemingly altruistic acts are more accurately described as "idealists"?

Originally posted by FMF
I would say that a lot of my everyday "altruism" is stuff I enjoy doing and therefore not really very altruistic in the true sense of the word. Yes, I demonstrate concern for the well-being of others (in the work I choose to do, for example, and in social interactions) but I would mostly not describe it as disinterested or selfless. Maybe would-be altruists who get satisfaction from seemingly altruistic acts are more accurately described as "idealists"?

Isn't there mostly a part of 'feel good' in the good deeds we do?

Originally posted by Torunn
Isn't there mostly a part of 'feel good' in the good deeds we do?

Yes, I think so. But I suppose the question wolfgang59 has posed is... if being ostensibly selfless rewards us in some way, maybe it's not so selfless after all. Does my self become a little bit selfmore ~ rather than selfless ~ if a do some "altruism"? 🙂

Originally posted by FMF
I would say that a lot of my everyday "altruism" is stuff I enjoy doing and therefore not really very altruistic in the true sense of the word. Yes, I demonstrate concern for the well-being of others (in the work I choose to do, for example, and in social interactions) but I would mostly not describe it as disinterested or selfless. Maybe would-be altruists who get satisfaction from seemingly altruistic acts are more accurately described as "idealists"?

I think I agree with this perspective.

Originally posted by Torunn
Isn't there mostly a part of 'feel good' in the good deeds we do?

Agreed.

Originally posted by divegeester
I think I agree with this perspective.

I think you are right to.

Altruistic deeds help you feel good, improve your self-esteem, increase your social status and helps you deduct your tax. If you are religious or flirt with after-life, you might find tickling pleasure in a hope that you bought for yourself a better seat in Paradise. Perhaps you even imagine His tap on your shoulder. In some cases you may feel you had redeemed yourself from ugly things you'd done before.

There is a specific form of sadism, however, when you insist in hanging around the person(s) you just helped. That means you demand gratitude, which is an ultimative form of humiliation and torture.

Originally posted by FMF
I think you are right to.

You are right in thinking i'm right to.

Originally posted by divegeester
You are right in thinking i'm right to.

All right 🙂

Originally posted by Torunn
All right 🙂

Eyes right!

Originally posted by divegeester
You are right in thinking i'm right to.

I didn't benefit personally from thinking it, though.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Really not happy with all these people from three different forums all bending over backward to come up with reasons not to help others out. Yes, it's selfishness, and yes, these people are looking for something, anything, to justify their reprehensible selfishness.

So much for being the most highly evolved species on the planet.

You want to be selfi ...[text shortened]... it or ask me to pat you on the back and congratulate you for it. What goes around comes around.

As I said ... for fun only.

Originally posted by wolfgang59
As I said ... for fun only.

It should be okay to be kind.