Selfless People/Acts Cannot Possibly Exist

Ever been on a bus? You’re on a bus that’s full; you are always going to see people giving up their seats for the elderly. Ask yourself why did they do that? The first answer most people would think of is that s/he is selfless. You couldn’t be more wrong. People do things that may appear selfless to satisfy their own inner set of values or morals. Every action we do is because there is something to be gained for us. Whenever the person is aware of it or not. Because of this selfless people/acts cannot possibly exist.

The desire of all humans is to increase one’s happiness. In any given situation a normal person would pick the path that would lead to happiness. If a person was put in a “your money or your life” situation most people would reason out to themselves that their happiness would be better satisfied by continuing to live other than die for their money. In many situations like giving blood or martyrdom we still decide that our actions will lead to greater happiness. The motivation may come from the promise of heaven, as in martyrdom or for a brief moment believe that we have done the right thing. We do it out of a belief, aware of it or not, that it is right, and that we will somehow benefit from it. This any action we do will lead to our greater happiness.

Everyone is selfish no matter what. This statement is true because selfishness is not even possible. Selfishness is driven by serving one’s feelings, values, or desires which is serving your being. Nobody chooses to be selfless because they hate it or are against it. People choose selfishness because they want to or do it because of their morals. The reason for choosing it is irrelevant; the reason always satisfies some aspect of their being. Even a person giving some spare change to charity, they don’t really want to do it, but still do it because their morals, virtues, and beliefs are driving him to do it. No person could bring themselves to reach this decision without a selfish reason.

The concept of selfishness is a sacrifice of our values to benefit others. The sacrifice of values cannot lead to happiness. Happiness is the joy that is produced from satisfying our values. Every action has a purpose, values guide our actions, and the ultimate purpose is life. The only other path available is to die. As in the “soldier covering the grenade” example, to act on that supposedly selfless act he would have already decided that the other people’s lives were more important than his. To achieve his greater happiness he must kill himself rather than let the people around him die when he could have done something to prevent it. Since selfishly pursuing ones values is to achieve happiness, selflessness is the guide to achieve suffering. To be selfish is to live. To be selfless is to die.

Selfish people and acts don’t exist. They do seemingly selfless acts to satisfy their inner values. To pursuit ones own happiness they must be selfish. Only selfishness allows mankind to move forwards. Only selfishness accepts man has the ability to think and this rational thought is needed for our continued existence. This is why selfless people and acts cannot possibly exist.

- Taken from www.shitsngiggles.tk forums

 

So many things to comment on this, but it's not important, i'll just hit the important ones.

If you do involentary acts that are selfless, then the person is selfless. Doing something without them knowing is doing something by nature. And their nature can still be SELFLESS.

This is doesn't mean the person is selfless or suicidal for thinking off his feet and doing the first rational thing that comes to mind. Nor does it mean that his life is less important than the others. The first person who acts on it can be called selfless.

So intern, having a selfless nature is possible and the aspect of being selfless is valid.

 

I have to admit, I didn't make it through this giant text wall of narcissistic crap. Even if you're correct, and although I don't study psychology I'd be willing to bet this is all self-invented bullshit, I would say it doesn't matter.

A good act is a good act regardless of the intentions. You may say that the man who offers his seat to a lady on the subway is trying to feel better about himself, but I would say back:

Who fucking cares?

He still did a good thing.

All essays (and i'm being nice by saying this is an essay) like this do is give narcissistic people seeking legitimization of their grievances a chance to feel accepted. No one cares if a good act was done to feel better about yourself, because the act was still good. Only people who want acceptance of their own discourtesy would write this.

 

You do everything for personal gain.

 

And if the acts benefitted someone else, the motives are completely 100% irrelevant. They are only relevant to people jealous of the act, the person, or perhaps the praise the person recieved for the act.


Lets say that all billionaire philanthropists are just stroking their egos when they give endless sums to charity. Guess what? Who cares? Do the eggs that their money buys turn out to be empty on the inside? Do the schools their money builds turn out to teach math incorrectly?

Does the man who gives up his seat on the subway to feel like a gentleman give the old lady a chair that breaks and kills her?

Of course not.

 

Are you saying that the person who committed the deed does not benefit if another person does?

 

Not at all. I'm just saying that motives are irrelevant.

A good deed is good, no matter what the intent. It's therefore useless to argue about the intents or motives behind a good deed, because they don't soil the deed itself.

 

I guess your so selfish that you don't see the benefit of doing something for others.

 

Very logical observations, i agree 100 percent. Tho it seems some people don't actually use logic to decide things, such as several who have posted here.

 

Who hasn't? Give names and reasons.

 

I agree completely. Of course you should have known that you were going to be flamed by all the naive members on sythe, saying things like selfless acts DO exist, etc.

I love how this is taken from Shits and Giggles lol

 

That's exactly what I was going to say.

 

Oh come on, really?

Did you know being selfless is a value? So if you have the value of being selfless instilled you aren't doing it for any kind of personal gain, but more because you are INSIDE, a selfless individual.

Whenever I personally do a something selfless I don't think twice about it and don't remember it ten minutes later. If you want to believe it is done to please me internally, whether I know it or not, is ridiculous to say.

You took this from shits and giggles ***, *** I mean commeee onnn..

 

I've thought about this topic for quite some time. I've decided to give up. It's just too hard for me to accept that selfless deeds can't exist, although I do agree with your logic.

 

this is all very true good work

 

This definition of selflessness is ridiculous. The article defines selflessness as any act contrary to your own decision. So yes with this definition we are all selfish.
"Ever been on a bus? You’re on a bus that’s full; you are always going to see people giving up their seats for the elderly. Ask yourself why did they do that? The first answer most people would think of is that s/he is selfless."

As most define selflessness as sacrificing something for the benefit of another (which is what is happening here) most consider this a selfless act. It's all a matter of definition.