Is it possible to do a selfless deed without being selfish?

[*Twinkle*]

Lol sorry to be a nerd, but my favourite poem may help in some way to explain selflessness and selfishness etc...

 

 

 

Love seeketh not Itself to please,

Nor for itself hath any care;

But for another gives its ease,

And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair.

 

So sang a little Clod of Clay,

Trodden with the cattle's feet:

But a pebble of the brook,

Warbled out these metres meet.

 

Love seeketh only Self to please,

To bind another to Its delight:

Joys in another's loss of ease,

And builds a Hell in Heaven's despite.

 

-- William Blake

 

 

Sorry to geek you all out there... (Just had my literature exam, so I'm buzzing with now useless phrases and whatnot lol...)

 

I think we are all a society of cynics, so we see anyones good deed as something purely to help themselves. Celebs may help starving people for the publicity they receive for doing so, and one can never be sure whether it is just a publicity stunt or something they actually care about...

The years of voluntary work I've done could be seen as both selfless and selfish. I worked for nothing in my own (limited) free time for the good of others, yet I must admit it has helped in interviews and in obtaining work experience at a solicitors office. So yeah, selfless and selfish. Maybe I did it because I loved helping others, maybe I did it because I knew it'd make me stand out from the crowd. Who knows?!

[DanSumption]

I'm with Phanerothyme, I believe that everything we do is "selfish", or at least self-centred and intended for our own benefit (or at least the benefit of our genes).

 

This does require a fairly broad definition of selfishness, but one that makes sense. For example, the benefit we get from our actions may be something as simple as making ourself feel good about being such a nice "selfless" person (and a lot of celebrity selflessness probably comes into this category), or sacrificing our comfort in this life for what we hope will be a better time in some subsequent life. It's all "selfish", but I don't see this as a problem. Once you learn to stop worrying and accept that everything you do is driven by self-interest, you can actually have more fun being "selfless" while still being "selfish".

[Hels]

Hmmm, I suppose there is 'selfish' with the aim of 'self-benefit' or 'selfish' with the aim of 'self-satisfaction'

 

Basically, I suppose what i am saying is that some people seem to shout about the selfless acts they do, and this may bring some sort of benefit to them - by people thinking better of them or even some sort of reward.

 

Others undertake selfless acts without shouting about it and thus get some personal satisfaction and feel good factor.

 

I'm personally in the latter. I give to certain charities etc and I feel better about myself.

 

I've done quite a few things which have helped other people, usually in a small way but I believe the little things can make a huge difference. I feel good and feel that I am a good person. But it's not totally selfless is it if it makes me feel good? But does every good deed need to be done totally selflessly? If it did, then there would be very little done.