Selflessness. Does it exist?
by Nocturnal_Nick on Feb.01, 2010, under Personal
I was once asked if I believed in such a thing as a selfless act. I responded that I didn’t, though only on a sub-conscious level.
An example of what most would consider to be a completely selfless act is to give to charity. Putting aside any possible financial benefits (tax deductions etc), one wouldn’t give anything to charity if helping others didn’t make them feel good. If someone was indifferent about the recipient of the donation’s wellbeing, the donation wouldn’t be made in the first place. It follows then that as your donation increases the wellbeing of the recipient, you feel good. Following the logic train it can be said that donating to charity makes you feel good, and that is why you do it.
Then comes the topic of accidents. Of course, if you drop a $20 note as you’re walking along, you don’t feel good about it nor receive any kind of physical benefit. To this I respond that the term selflessness has everything to do with intent, and nothing to do with the actual result or consequence. In this case, you didn’t INTEND to drop a $20 note, or indeed do anything, and so it cannot really be called an act of selfishness or the opposite.
It can then be said that something you regret doing, a mistake, was still done with the intent of benefiting oneself. The fact that it didn’t succeed matters not, as you INTENDED it to. Nuances of this “rule” extend also to situations in which you try and succeed regardless of the expectation or odds.
For example, if there is a 1 in 6 chance of me correctly chosing the side of a dice that turns up, I’ll still attempt the guess, as the cost to me may be smaller enough than the potential winnings to take the risk. Whether consciously or not, you have weighed the pro’s and con’s and come to a decision.
So, thoughts? Examples of a completely selfless act?
February 1st, 2010 on 10:39 AM
Interesting post coming from one of the most selfless people I know. Although perhaps you just feel truly indebted to us or letting you sleep on a shitty couch filled with leaves?
I have some level of agreement with you, however how deep to you count “benefit to yourself”? A mother may die to save her children, she’s obviously not going to feel good after dying, however she protects her gene line. Is this enough for it to count as a selfish act? In terms of the actual biological entity, there is no up side, yet it happens.
I think I’ll try to RSS this comments feed so I don’t forget to check on it =D
February 1st, 2010 on 11:06 AM
An interesting point. Though it could be said that the most important thing in the world to her is her children’s safety, and thus that after weighing the options sub consciously preserving that, even at the cost of her own life, it’s better for her to save them.
You know, if x is more important than y, and you sacrifice y for x, you have avoided the worse situation in favour of the lesser of two evils.
February 1st, 2010 on 1:27 PM
But could you not define selflessness as valuing others wellbeing above your own? What other definition could you give? Maybe a dictionary would know?
It seems it does
having little concern for one’s own interests
well I’m wrong then >.<
February 1st, 2010 on 11:34 PM
Haha but that would almost prove your point wouldn’t it? That the Mother has little concern with her own interests? Though in my mind all that means is that however deep down she knows that she is choosing what is best for her, regardless of her physical health. She knows that should she sacrifice her kids she has to live with the crushing moral implications for the rest of her life.
All I’m saying is that everyone needs a motive to do everything. Nothing is done without intent to benefit from it.
February 2nd, 2010 on 8:44 AM
Hmmm perhaps, but do you really believe that the thoughts going through the mother at any levelk are
‘heh, sucks that the brats are dying, at least it isn’t me. Wait…. if I let them die I’ll be incredibly sad for the rest of my life,more sadthan if I was dead. Oh well I suppose I’ll risk my own life to save them’.
Now granted that’s an extreme version of what you were getting at, but even choosing between less extreme versions and ‘i love my kids and will do literally anything to save them’ the 2nd option seems more likely to me
February 12th, 2010 on 9:58 AM
Yes, but again, that proves my point. She has decided before this particular incident that she would do anything to protect her kids. And while that seems unselfish, on a base level I believe it is still choice made that will benefit herself. She feels better knowing that she’d do what society considers the “right thing”.
We all die alone. Why not allow those we love to live in doing so?