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Question: Is there any kind of altruism that isn't selfish!?
I've been thinking about this for a while, and all altruism I think of has something selfish hidden beneath it!. I think it needs selfish reasons to evolve!. What's your opinion!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
You ask a most excellent question!.

Altruism is, by definition, selflessness!.!. And that is why your question is interesting!.

Weather we want to or not, everything we do is going to reflect on us!. Me!. You!. Everybody!. Even when we think we are doing something for someone else, we are doing it for our self!.

It is good to do things for others, not expecting anything in return, but it is real to know that every good thing you do you do because you believe in yourself!. And self always requires recognition!.

Excellent question!. You are on the right path!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Psychologically there are a few of types of altruism!.

One is like celebrity altruism!. These jackass celebrities try to help out other people !.!.!. their efforts aren't really thought out !.!.!. their help is worthless and it is all about them pumping up their own egos to even higher levels!.

Another type of altruism is when you feel hopeless in life !.!.!. like your life isn't worth anything, so you feel the only thing you can do is help other people!. You feel like you don't matter, but you can still do good by helping other people!. This type of altruism is selfless, and if often a symptom of depression and hopelessness!. That's why I use Yahoo Answers!.

Another type of altruism is when people truly want to help out other people!. They feel in their hearts that they need to help !.!.!. they just have to help other people because they feel bad that other people are suffering!. If you really believe altruism is always selfish, then you're wrong :) There are actually people in this world who care enough to help people!. They don't want credit!. They don't want to make themselves feel good!. They just want to help people who have had shitty luck!. And yeah, sometimes it can make you feel good !.!.!.!. but these people aren't doing these good deeds to feel good!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Yes, when you give things it makes you feel good!. That is human nature but if it is not the reason for the action just one of the benefits It should no color the giving in a selfish light!.

When you stand up for someone or something and you get shouted down you will still feel good because you did good!. It's called having convictions and if you live within those convictions you have self respect (far better than self esteem) but it is not selfish!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

On the face of it, you could be right, all acts of charity seem to have a "feel good" factor involved!. But then how about this scenario - person rescues a stranger from the path of a runaway bus: it's hard to imagine that the rescuer had a selfish reason in the split second it took to suss out the situation and act accordingly!. I think as humans we are hard-wired to be sociable(yes there are always exceptions!), it probably helps our continued existence!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I disagree!. I think many times people do good things simply for the sake of doing something good or because it is the right thing to do!. While it's true that they may benefit from doing good, even if its only a sense of pride, that does not negate the fact of them having done good in the first place, nor does it mean that is the reason they did it!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I agree Mr!. Wentsworth!. Even if you're just doing nice things for the sake of it, you're still kind of doing it to make yourself feel good or to satisfy some sort of personal moral code or summin!. Like when I told my friend that his dog Ballsacks ran away but in fact the neighbour ran over him!.

For the above guy, even if it's anonymous, you're still doing it to make yourself feel goodness!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think anyone who works in Law Enforcement, as a paramedic, fire fighter, etc!.!. have truly altruistic hearts!. They sure as hell don't do what they do for the paycheck!. I agree with the previous answerer who mentioned breeds of people who do good things just because it's "in" them!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think I agree with you!. Because even if we don't get anything material in return for our good deed, there is that satisfaction that you are a "good person" because of your action!. I can't think of a single truly altruistic deed, Can you!? Haha, well, maybe Batman in the Dark Knight!. That was pretty noble!. :-PWww@QuestionHome@Com

If one does something that is beneficial in ANY way to themselves, than it is not a true altruistic act!. That being said, I do believe there are acts of altruism!. Yes, it is very very rare, but nonetheless, I do believe it does exist!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Joseph Butler already won this argument like 300 years ago!. We feel good when we help others *because we've helped them*!. It can't be the other way around because still: if you help others because it makes you feel good!.!.!. why does it make you feel good!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

unconditional love- the ultimate one!.

doing something good for others or yourself without being bothered with the end result- without expectations!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

completely anonymous without anyone knowing would qualify!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Have you read the fountainhead!?

Well, what if say someone wanted to go to an art school, though to please his mother at the last moment he went to become an architect which he knows nothing about!? Is there anything selfish there!?Www@QuestionHome@Com