Servants of Mammon

When was the last time you did something unselfishly for
someone or something not related/close/important to you?

Originally posted by Seitse
When was the last time you did something unselfishly for
someone or something not related/close/important to you?

In my opinion, there is no such thing as pure altruism by humans. There is always some level of self benefit even if it is just the personal satisfaction and good vibes gained from giving.

Originally posted by divegeester
In my opinion, there is no such thing as pure altruism by humans. There is always some level of self benefit even if it is just the personal satisfaction and good vibes gained from giving.

Altruism:

'Willingness to do things that bring advantages to others, even if it results in disadvantage for yourself.'

Not:

'Willingness to do things that bring advantages to others, but which brings absolutely no benefit to yourself.'

Adding 'pure' in front of altruism doesn't change the definition.

Originally posted by Ghost of a Duke
Altruism:

'Willingness to do things that bring advantages to others, even if it results in disadvantage for yourself.'

Not:

'Willingness to do things that bring advantages to others, but which brings absolutely no benefit to yourself.'

Adding 'pure' in front of altruism doesn't change the definition.

Ok I accept your definition.

Of course we could agree on a definition for God but that doesn't mean one exists. Does it?

This happen a lot in the "altruism" thread last year; people kept quoting online definitions at me, as if the definition itself somehow proved the existence of the thing it was defining.

Originally posted by divegeester
This happen a lot in the "altruism" thread last year; people kept quoting online definitions at me, as if the definition itself somehow proved the existence of the thing it was defining.

Definitions are 'intended' to describe the thing they relate to, not prove their existence. The problem with your own definition is that it is 'your own' definition. In other words, you put forward a (non-dictionary) definition of altruism and then set about saying such a thing doesn't exist.

And of course the elephant in the room is that we have a Christian saying altruism doesn't exist when Christ himself apparently suffered on the cross for the sins of mankind, the ultimate expression of altruism, which as a Christian, you are supposed to emulate.

Someone just got intellectually raped.

*golf clap*

Originally posted by divegeester
This happen a lot in the "altruism" thread last year; people kept quoting online definitions at me, as if the definition itself somehow proved the existence of the thing it was defining.

It didn't disprove it, either.

Originally posted by Seitse
When was the last time you did something unselfishly for
someone or something not related/close/important to you?

On a vacation with family, in Canada, we came across a scene of a big truck accident.
It was on its side and I stopped to take a look. What I saw kind of disgusted me. There was a man trapped inside, the passenger seat had come loose and was lying on top of the driver and he could not move a muscle, he looked like a human pretzel inside.
I also noticed fuel dripping out the tank onto the truck and I visualized that stuff catching fire and burning the poor guy up before help could arrive.

What disgusted me was the presence of at least ten people just gawking at the scene, doing nothing.

I didn't think at all, just started climbing up the side of the truck (it is very large on its side) and thinking we could have just broken the windshield but I thought that would just get glass in the poor dudes face. So the idea was climb up, get a leg inside and kick out the windshield from the inside which I did successfully and was able to get all the crap trapping him and he got out in two minutes flat after I climbed up the truck.

I was not thinking of anything except the guy might burn up if that fuel ignited but he got out safely and we didn't hang around, we left before the cops showed up.

I guess that was an act of altruism on my part, there was certainly no thought of reward or any such, but I felt good he got out. I guess you can't feel good about a rescue or its not altruist if Dive's definition is to be taken at face value.

Originally posted by sonhouse
On a vacation with family, in Canada, we came across a scene of a big truck accident.
It was on its side and I stopped to take a look. What I saw kind of disgusted me. There was a man trapped inside, the passenger seat had come loose and was lying on top of the driver and he could not move a muscle, he looked like a human pretzel inside.
I also noticed fu ...[text shortened]... feel good about a rescue or its not altruist if Dive's definition is to be taken at face value.

Good on you sir.