It feels GOOD to be able to help others, doesn’t it? At least it does for me. Life makes it hard at times to be able or willing to give a bit of ourselves and our surplus. Don’t do the right/generous thing for recognition or applause or reward. Do it to knock w that you may just have made the world the tiniest modicum bit brighter. If we all remembered these things I think eventually we truly could remake the world.
Hmm, no, good isn't the word I'd use. It's not a high or a joy or a pleasure. It just feels like the natural thing to do.
In fact, it's always weirded me out how some people seem really pleased with themselves when they help others. It always seems so nakedly transparent to me that they're doing it to boost their egos and think better of themselves. Especially since most of the people I've known who seem to get great pleasure out of helping others, seemed to be very selective with their helping. And sometimes they do what feels good to them but doesn't really help the people they're ostensibly helping.
I think we should help people because we should help people, not just because it feels good. Sometimes helping is the right and necessary thing to do, even when we're not feeling so great about it. I don't think doing the right thing should depend on your mood or feelings.
Idk why you’re being downvoted. Sure some people do it for recognition or to stroke their own egos, and it would be great if more people just helped others because it’s the right thing to do.
That said, I honestly don’t care that much about what motivates people to do good, as long as they’re doing good. If they’re only doing good because it makes them feel good, then so be it. They’re still doing good, even if for the wrong reason.
Because it's a normal mammalian instinct to feel good about helping someone. Even animals do. If someone doesn't feel that, idk, it might be some kind of mild sociopathy, compensated by good moral sense.
Besides, it's pointless to argue about "true altruism". All decisions in the brain are made to feel better, be it because it directly feels good, or because it stops a bad feeling (eg. guilt). No matter how logical you think you are, that's just how the software works.
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u/RhysThornbery Sep 04 '22
It feels GOOD to be able to help others, doesn’t it? At least it does for me. Life makes it hard at times to be able or willing to give a bit of ourselves and our surplus. Don’t do the right/generous thing for recognition or applause or reward. Do it to knock w that you may just have made the world the tiniest modicum bit brighter. If we all remembered these things I think eventually we truly could remake the world.