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Selfishness
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Leah, I'm HI-larious! (Head Mod)
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Jul 15, 2013 05:30PM
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Well humans are naturally selfish. Because the main person in our life is us. I read a article on how much we think about ourselves and the percentages went something like this (It's not exact, but I'll check later): 70% on ourselves 25% on our social interactions and 5% on other people. But that was off topic.
Even altruism is usually because of underlying selfish wants. But that is simply the ID speaking subconsciously. So if we are always selfish, are we actually being selfish?
Sorry, I just asked more questions without answering yours. Whoops. :P
Keeping your hair isnt selfish. It's your body, and no one has any right to tell you what to do with it.
Aren't we naturally selfish? Isn't our survival a higher priority that that of others'? To me having surplus is like making sure you'll always have enough to survive, even when you're hit with a loss. That being said, selfishness is harmful in larger amounts. Nobody should be hoarding billions of dollars/pounds/euros for themselves.
I believe in acts of selflessness, but I also believe in our own rights to decline certain things without having the title of selfishness brought onto us. To not donate a kidney...I would not call that selfish. That person would be giving their entire life up because in loss of one kidney would result in having to be cautious your entire life. It is not selfish to take that into account.
Selfish acts are not always derived from big things. Giving up your hair? That CAN be a lot to ask and if the person says no, it doesn't deem them selfish because hey, they could be taking in all the cons and impacts that choice will decide.
But I would like to turn the question around. Is it selfish to ask someone for their kidney? Hair? To give everything up? I find it interesting really, to think along those lines.
We all should do acts of selflessness, but some things can be ours. It isn't a selfish thing to say no sometimes. It's when we choose to be selfish, that's selfish; when we have that little voice come into our heads and tells us the right thing to do and we rebel against it. whether it is for power, or pride, etc. So to answer the question, no. Giving up huge things in life such as a kidney or everything you know is not selfish, but it's when it's done anyway that's selfless.
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I don't necessarily think that it would be selfish to break up with someone if you aren't happy in the relationship because who's to say that your partner isn't equally unhappy? By breaking up, you're giving both yourself and your partner the chance to have other happier relationships rather than being stuck in one where one or both of the people is miserable. I'm not really sure that this is worded exactly the way I want it to be, but hopefully y'all will catch my drift.
Selfishism (not a word but for the purposes of this I shall make it one) is when you put yourself first. You are an egoist and when making any kind of decision be it an ethical one or what you want to go and watch at the movies. You have an enlarged ego and a super super ego. That means going by Freud you don't have much of a conscience.
Carrie wrote: "Evan wrote: "Selfishism (not a word but for the purposes of this I shall make it one) is when you put yourself first. You are an egoist and when making any kind of decision be it an ethical one or ..."Sorry I know bits of it are wrong, I do know it in a little more detail but I couldn't find my E.P notes on him. I found Butler but that was all I could find to do with conscience I have an amazing Ethics teacher and I once knew what you said but in the end it was a module I chose not to do. So bits of it my have become deluded. I think my brain just reads and formulates things the way I think makes more sense to me. Which is probably selfish.
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That's true, but most of the time when you're breaking up with somebody it's because you're keeping in mind what's best for you. Sometimes it is the other way around, and that would be an act of selflessness. And let's say you guys were both unhappy in the relationship--are you talking about a mutual breakup?
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Yeah, of course. But even when it's mutual (actually mutual, where both sides want to call it quits, not when they call it mutual but really one person didn't want to break up) it's usually because the two people are thinking about themselves.
(I'm not experienced either. I don't think half of us are :p)
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Without absolute selfishness, there will be enlightenment.But the path of enlightenment is paved with selfish deeds. Even the zen mentality dwells in the mist of self, hoping to clear the fog of thoughts till it achieves no-mind. 'True altruism' is not a function of self, it's a paradox; as conscientiously anything you do is invariably subjected to self. Your senses towards flowers is selfish. No zen mind ever been able to get rid of the 'sense' barrier. Every act, every thought is selfish...
Donate everything and feel good/bad, protect others...selfish
Stay neutral to everything, do nothing...selfish
Everything about relationships...selfish
endless list!
The depth of selfishness is visible when it obstructs others' selfish 'gains'. Socially, It's considered selflessness when it fulfills others' selfish needs (e.g, donations, social work), the hidden self satisfaction is cloaked with altruism. Viz: In relationships it's visible if the break up isn't mutual. If partner 'A' wants 'B' to be happy with whoever she/he wants, selfishness is not visible as it doesn't obstruct 'B''s selfish needs. But selfishness exists in A, in form of love. (:
@H99
Debates doesn't take age into account. Just like Chess. A 10 year old can ask questions even a professional philosopher cant answer. What's a professional/real debate anyway!? You can quote each of my line and still come with questions or statements that may falsify my claims. Thoughts have dimensions, when two different dimensions encounter, the debates become exciting. (:
