Why People Do Things

[Water Drips]

They do things because the Brain is a mysterious object

 

[wtp]

They do things because the Brain is a mysterious object

True, why do people want entertainment, why do we have pain, why do we desire a feeling of importance. The brain is mysterious and there is something chemical inside the brain that makes us want those things.

 

[Atlas001]

In society it wouldn't be looked upon as selfish. But realistically your doing it for your own personal gain, so wouldn't that be selfish? Does it mean that its bad? No its a good selfish.

Yes, but the personal gain you'll have from donating $5,000 to charity is only emotion, realistically you lost money. For a good cause? Yes. For a feeling of importance? No. If you're going to donate that much a sum of money to charity the last thought that would be on your mind would be, "Hey, wow I feel like im bigger than everyone else in the world, I'm important." You should have the feeling of, "I made a change." A feeling of money well worth it, realistically what you would normally feel from donating to the not so fortunate is accomplished, and in no means is that being selfish.

 

[Atlas001]

True, why do people want entertainment, why do we have pain, why do we desire a feeling of importance. The brain is mysterious and there is something chemical inside the brain that makes us want those things.

I also want to put out there that it's not only a chemical reaction, it's all about how you're raised. From the age of 3 months and up babies will remember things they see and feel, (toys, pictures, food, parents, etc..). It's all about your environment so you can't say that the whole world gets a feeling of importance and selfishness from every single thing that they do.

 

[wtp]

Yes, but the personal gain you'll have from donating $5,000 to charity is only emotion, realistically you lost money. For a good cause? Yes. For a feeling of importance? No. If you're going to donate that much a sum of money to charity the last thought that would be on your mind would be, "Hey, wow I feel like im bigger than everyone else in the world, I'm important." You should have the feeling of, "I made a change." A feeling of money well worth it, realistically what you would normally feel from donating to the not so fortunate is accomplished, and in no means is that being selfish.

We do everything for our own interests and our own interests only, which makes us selfish. Most people wouldn't consider giving money to a charity selfish, but your doing it for yourself. Why would you be doing it for yourself? Maybe to help you sleep better at night, to get the feeling of importance that you helped out, there's many reasons why someone would donate. It still comes down to that you did it to give yourself a feeling of importance in one way or another.

You may argue the definition of selfish. You can say you wouldn't consider giving to charity selfish if you don't brag about it; you can say you would consider giving to a charity selfish if you did brag about it.

Either way you look at it we still only do things for our own interest.

I also want to put out there that it's not only a chemical reaction, it's all about how you're raised. From the age of 3 months and up babies will remember things they see and feel, (toys, pictures, food, parents, etc..). It's all about your environment so you can't say that the whole world gets a feeling of importance and selfishness from every single thing that they do.

It's a chemical reaction in our brain makes us want importance, entertainment and to not be in pain.

Sure the ways we satisfy those feelings can greatly differ from how you were raised and what experiences you have in your life, but that's not what I said nor what we were discussing.

Don't try to prove me wrong for the sake of proving me wrong, your not going to get anywhere.

 

[Atlas001]

We do everything for our own interests and our own interests only, which makes us selfish. Most people wouldn't consider giving money to a charity selfish, but your doing it for yourself. Why would you be doing it for yourself? Maybe to help you sleep better at night, to get the feeling of importance that you helped out, there's many reasons why someone would donate. It still comes down to that you did it to give yourself a feeling of importance in one way or another.

You may argue the definition of selfish. You can say you wouldn't consider giving to charity selfish if you don't brag about it; you can say you would consider giving to a charity selfish if you did brag about it.

Either way you look at it we still only do things for our own interest.

We do everything for our own interests and our own interests only?

Only? How can you say only?
There can be millions of reasons why someone would donate to charity. Maybe it is to sleep better at night, or the feeling of importance. But donating money to charity is not always doing something for yourself, maybe for some people but nor for all.

How is giving something that's yours to someone else being selfish?
Maybe in some ways you could say it is, in that sense you're right, but you could be doing it just out of the good of your heart, not feeling important by it at all (even tho it will probably help you sleep better at night). So with that said there is no way that donating to those who need it is ALWAYS being selfish.

 

[wtp]

We do everything for our own interests and our own interests only?

Only? How can you say only?
There can be millions of reasons why someone would donate to charity. Maybe it is to sleep better at night, or the feeling of importance. But donating money to charity is not always doing something for yourself, maybe for some people but nor for all.

How is giving something that's yours to someone else being selfish?
Maybe in some ways you could say it is, in that sense you're right, but you could be doing it just out of the good of your heart, not feeling important by it at all (even tho it will probably help you sleep better at night). So with that said there is no way that donating to those who need it is ALWAYS being selfish.

Your being very close minded. Think, really hard, about the last time you gave to charity and tell me that it wasn't to get a feeling of importance.

Also read this article:
http://www.forbes.com/health/feeds/hscout/2007/01/22/hscout601147.html

 

[Christmas Crackers]

We do everything for our own interests and our own interests only?

Only? How can you say only?
There can be millions of reasons why someone would donate to charity. Maybe it is to sleep better at night, or the feeling of importance. But donating money to charity is not always doing something for yourself, maybe for some people but nor for all.

How is giving something that's yours to someone else being selfish?
Maybe in some ways you could say it is, in that sense you're right, but you could be doing it just out of the good of your heart, not feeling important by it at all (even tho it will probably help you sleep better at night). So with that said there is no way that donating to those who need it is ALWAYS being selfish.

Sleeping better at night and a feeling of importance are both examples of self-interest.

 

[Atlas001]

Well now let's see whose being close minded here.. The last time i gave to charity was in October and I did it because I could afford it, it was only a dollar they needed. Giving that dollar made me feel good, but it's not like I wanted or needed to feel good, It's not like i was trying to feel good. At the exact moment when I gave that person money I only thought of the good I was doing not how it benefited me... being selfish is benefiting yourself, or not sharing (which I did neither) So how about you read this article and tell me if you think you are still right, and if you do than you are the one who is close minded.

http://www.philosophyetc.net/2005/01/selfish-selflessness.html

 

[Atlas001]

Sleeping better at night and a feeling of importance are both examples of self-interest.

So you are saying when I gave someone a dollar for charity I did it because I wanted to sleep better at night? because I didn't.. hell I forgot I had done it by the end of the day.

 

[wtp]

Well now let's see whose being close minded here.. The last time i gave to charity was in October and I did it because I could afford it, it was only a dollar they needed. Giving that dollar made me feel good, but it's not like I wanted or needed to feel good, It's not like i was trying to feel good. At the exact moment when I gave that person money I only thought of the good I was doing not how it benefited me... being selfish is benefiting yourself, or not sharing (which I did neither) So how about you read this article and tell me if you think you are still right, and if you do than you are the one who is close minded.

http://www.philosophyetc.net/2005/01/selfish-selflessness.html

That's the feeling of importance.

You gave the dollar because you thought feeling good was worth more than the dollar.

However if you didn't think feeling good was worth more than the dollar you wouldn't have given it.

For your article that guy makes the same points I do. He however defines selfish with his own words.

My main point is:
We do everything for our own best interest.

Doing things for our own best interest is selfish. When most people think of selfish they think of bad but selfish can still be good or bad. I wouldn't call someone selfish if I saw them donating to a charity, while I might call someone selfish if they were stealing.

Sleeping better at night and a feeling of importance are both examples of self-interest.

Thank-you for posting this guy is driving me crazy.

 

[Atlas001]

Well just like it says in the article I gave you giving to charity would be "selfless" you're using the wrong words Phil. It's not selfish in even the littlest way, its selfless. It's selfish maybe the way you look at it but according to me it's not and I'm sure others agree (as well as others might agree with you). And how do you know that if I didn't think giving the dollar was worth it I wouldn't have done it, what if I felt like it was just the right thing I had to do, even if I didn't want to do it? Would that still be being selfish?

 

[Christmas Crackers]

Atlas001....

I don't want to explain to you human behavior with/without environmental influence, but take my word for it, "selfless" acts do not exist, there is ALWAYS a motive, whether it is conscious or subconscious.

An example for you to chew on:

I walk into a room that has a box in the center. Everyone who walked in before me has walked up to it and placed money inside it. The second I walk in, everyone in the room stares at me. So in order for me to fit in with the other people (self interest), to look cool/generous (self interest), to impress someone in the room (self interest), or to feel as if I am helping a cause (self interest), I donate money, even though I had no intention of doing so.
This is what I thought of off the top of my head.

 

[BrandonIsTheKing]

Very true. Very true. I agree.

 

[Atlas001]

Atlas001....

I don't want to explain to you human behavior with/without environmental influence, but take my word for it, "selfless" acts do not exist, there is ALWAYS a motive, whether it is conscious or subconscious.

An example for you to chew on:

I walk into a room that has a box in the center. Everyone who walked in before me has walked up to it and placed money inside it. The second I walk in, everyone in the room stares at me. So in order for me to fit in (self interest) I donate money, even though I had no intention of doing so.
This is what I thought of off the top of my head.

How am I to take your word for it, have you ran tests or looked up information about the way humans act? I have and selfless acts do exist.

How about this, you're the first person to walk into the room, do you or do you not put money into the box? You're under no pressure and no one is watching you, if you do it's selfless if you don't its selfish.

BTW I know I'm new to the site so just so you know I'm not trying to argue with you or anything I don't want it to seem that way this is just for the sake of science.

 

[wtp]

Well just like it says in the article I gave you giving to charity would be "selfless" you're using the wrong words Phil. It's not selfish in even the littlest way, its selfless. It's selfish maybe the way you look at it but according to me it's not and I'm sure others agree (as well as others might agree with you). And how do you know that if I didn't think giving the dollar was worth it I wouldn't have done it, what if I felt like it was just the right thing I had to do, even if I didn't want to do it? Would that still be being selfish?

Dictionary:
selfish
(sĕl'fĭsh) pronunciation

adj.

1. Concerned chiefly or only with oneself: “Selfish men were . . . trying to make capital for themselves out of the sacred cause of human rights” (Maria Weston Chapman).
2. Arising from, characterized by, or showing selfishness: a selfish whim.

Since every act we do is for our own interest, every act is selfish.

 

[MatthewGor123]

Nobody has answered my question yet. What selfishness can you *possibly* display by sacrificing/risking your own life in order to save the lives of many others?

 

[wtp]

Nobody has answered my question yet. What selfishness can you *possibly* display by sacrificing/risking your own life in order to save the lives of many others?

You would get a great feeling of importance if you sacrificed/risked your life to save someone. Do you think so?

 

[TJ]

Everyone has the need for importance - Dale Carnegie.

You do everything because you want to - My teacher

These points go along with what you are saying.

 

[wtp]

Everyone has the need for importance - Dale Carnegie.

You do everything because you want to - My teacher

These points go along with what you are saying.

Dale Carnegie is a G, and your teacher must be smart to.

A quote from dale atlas001 might want to look over:
"If you're wrong, admit it quickly and emphatically."
-Dale Carnegie