Self centered human

My friends and I came to this conclusion in high school. We thought we were so cool and smart. I was surprised when I found out that several philosophers had said basically the same thing, many years before any of us had ever been born.

I wrestled with this off and on for years, wanting to disprove it but unable to. When I finally asked a philosophy professor, whose opinion I highly trusted and respected, he gave me the perfect answer. "Is it possible that everything we do, we do because it benefits us in some way? If so, how can we be altruistic?"

His response: "Even if it helps you, too, does that mean it doesn't help the other person?"

I think people are too strict with their definitions when they discuss this topic. Just because you're selfish, that doesn't mean that you cannot also be altruistic. If you save someone from committing suicide because you don't want that person to die, that's selfish, but you are also thinking of the person, and how that person may not want to die when in a good mood, and that's altruistic.

All of our actions may contain a bit of selfishness, but some of our actions can still have a lot of good will in them, the earnest desire to help others.

I dont like it too really, this thing...

Its been mentioned by a lot, this genuine concern or desire to aid others to be the answer in some way or something. Thing is, as I said before, it doesnt end there because its just one or two steps backwards - its not the origin, its just part of the surface.

Old Man, these things and parts that are beyond the conscious are what I am going at coz I believe even if we are not aware of them they are directing our actions. We may be consciously thinking of something but in truth the intention of our head is something else.

I guess where we are parting is, that I do not think our brain can do that, to supress or restrain itself, its like a one direction machine. That for you to be able to... something is not operating normally either permanent or temporarily or... youre not human, which I guess makes you divine.

In theory, ne.

Well, I have to go and Ill be out for a while... thanks all

Nay girl, we are all humans. discipline of the mind aka mind control is what it's called. simply a matter of will and understanding. even ninjas and children can use it ;)

Humans are things subjected to emotions, like love, greed, happiness, and sadness, love, and hate.

Now every act we do is selfish, Like from the show "Friends" there is no such thing as a selfless act.

I mean if you do something nice for other, you expect to be thanked, even not, you feel like you did a good deed. You might regret it later, but thats another point.

I bet you no one can give me an example of a selfless act.

I'm with this line of thinking. I've got my dreams and what I want to do in life, and it all coincides with being able to be flexible with what I want and putting the want and needs of someone else before me. I can get them done, but I'm in no rush to complete them right away. I've got a lifetime to get them done. I don't mind putting them on hold to try to make someone else happy, because making someone else happy would make me happy as well. I'm such a fucking greedy person.

This is what I was talking about with my post. Why do we need to find a 100%, completely selfless act? Isn't it enough that people can give their lives for others? Doesn't that prove that it is possible for people to place others above themselves?

Like I said, every action may have a bit of selfishness. Let's use numbers and say that every action is at least 1% selfish. That means that some actions, while selfish in some way, are still selfless. If a mother pushes her child out of the way of a speeding car, that act may be 1% selfish but 99% selfless. Since the vast majority of the act is selfless, why not call it a selfless act?

I said in the thread about freedom last week or so that there isn't such a thing as complete freedom or a complete lack of freedom. I likened it to a percentage, like I am doing here, because I think that's the best way to look at things. These subjects aren't black and white, all or nothing. There are varying degrees.

It's called compassion, and we may feel good when we follow it, but we do it because we can empathize, therefore we want to remove pain that we can imagine.

[color=darkblue][font=Verdana]Hi, Ash. Thank you for posting this. It's so hard to think about. I like to believe that we have both our selfish parts and our unselfish parts.

The true connectedness we have with the greater universe from doing good things comes spontaneously and is often brief. It can't be achieved even with our best and most contrived efforts. I feel everyone has experienced this at one time, but it is such a tiny burst that people forget that they experienced it. Sometimes, you can love someone or something so much that you contemplate this someone or something - like art, nature, music - and you are brought no other benefit but the joy of loving. It is euphoric and un-selfish in my eyes to see two people love each other in this way.[/font][/color]

Why shouldn't it be so strict? 99% selfless is still not really selfless. But that's just me being the devil's advocate since I generally agree with your previous post to the extent of conscious selflessness. I am, however, skeptical of whether we can know what the motives of our unconscious mind were. I am agnostic, so to speak, when it comes to that shit.

Lmao Space. You definitely do seem to have a common line of thinking.

Anywho, your thoughts support what I mentioned earlier about not liking the concept. The fact that being somewhat genuine is still greedy (because somehow you're doing something for yourself in the process) makes me less inclined to go along with the concept... even if it's probably correct.

@AshCrimson: It's a pretty interesting thing, but yeah, as I said I'm not exactly fond of the whole concept. But again, maybe it's correct and there is some unconscious desire to get something out of our actions. In my case, I suppose it's the satisfaction of satisfying another. Not so unconscious if I recognize it though, eh..?

I intended to reply to you yesterday, more specifically, but never got around to it. And lol, "Old Man". That's not a bad nickname.

Edit: (in response to Crimson's following post)
Well alright Crimson. I was wondering what that might have meant (Old Man) and assumed it was probably the avatar I used ('till I saw JiChan post). Thanks for the clarification.

I'm torn about how I feel being called greedy for wanting to make someone else happy, even if it does make me happy. I've made people happy even if it made me feel like shit. But because I can actually be happy trying to make someone happy, it makes me greedy? I'm simultaneously okay and not okay with it. But it just is. I don't care what anyone else thinks about it, as long as it works for me.

who called for Old Man?



Good, man. Now the question is - what's the point in you recognizing it?



ah Rbz, when you say "unconscious" you understand it was meant as "limited conscious awareness", hence absent-mindedness. There are no secret motives in our mind that we did not make ourselves. The best way to figure them out is to "undress" thought after thought. Doing so we can recognize many useless suffurings and reactions (like irritation) in our life which are fruits of aberration. It may seem exhasting but brings clarity that broadens our view and reveals many answers.



Damn people, is breathing a selfish act? if so then all living things are selfish. Let me give you a very clear statement:
Naturality can not be selfish. Your shitting, even if it was to easen discomfort, is fucking natural. YOU WERE MADE TO SHIT and there is no selfishness in it. Animals selfishly eating one another, plants selfishly consuming dem elements from earth. U mad? This notion was created to distinguish excessive/unnecessary behaivor from natural(in reality) and normal(in society) and if you ignorantly apply this "-ish" ("-ism", which means here exorbitance) to our simple needs - you are extremely fucking up yourself in pointless uncertainty.

I completely agree with the OP's quote.

Just quick and simple

Breathing = preserve a condition that is favorable to us = us alive

The original idea being presented by other people in the past had this hole, thats why I modified it to what it is now, and now it can apply to ALL our actions. To merely blinking to using your left vs your right arm etc.

Oh Elder, I didnt meant to call you Old Man hohoho its what I call Jichan. Sorry. A lot of people have been finding this concept unpleasant coz of the selfishness idea that it promotes. But if that is what we really are... and as was said also by someone else, selfishness helps us as well, society. It only goes wrong and completely evil, and thats a point of view, when it starts disrupting other peoples welfare. ... But funny, as long as the selfishness of others is convenient for us its cool and even promoted. damn I sound like a Sith hohoho

I agree with the OPs statement.

It's sad but true and when I think about how people think its weird that people can't do anything for another selflessly, I think just the opposite. What would drive people to do a selfless act? If it weren't for personal gain, why would that person do... well... anything?

I believe there is a motive behind every action and I think its bullshit when people say someone can be selfless about a decision. Be it honor, or physical gain, people do shit for themselves. We're devious creatures like that.

Quoting another part of your post should serve as a sufficient response.