Topic: Every action performed by people, however selfless it may seem, is inspired by a selfish reason.
The issue of whether every action dictated by human nature is inspired by a selfish reason is a controversial one. On the one hand, humans perform action that satisfies them and thus serves as a remote base for a selfish reason. On the other hand, people donate money, property etc without being possesive about material things and are philantropical, concerned about other people's lives.However in the final analysis of the issue, I believe that every action performed by human nature is inspired by a selfish reason.
The chief reason for my view is that people who perform selfless actions do so to fulfill a reason or responsibilty that exists. For example, when Microsoft owner, Bill Gates founded the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, he resigned from working in the Microsoft office to completely dedicating himself to philantropical works. When asked about why he left a well paying, billion dollar job, Bill remarked " serving people is my responsibility". The existence of the reason ""responsibility"" proves that since a reason existed, Bill wanted to fulfill that reason and responsibility as a human being. Thus the presence of a reason to do philantropical work serves as a selfish reason for that action.
Another reason for my belief is that people perform selfless action to bring peace and happiness to their minds. Their is a self gain in performing selfless action, the gain of elevating one's mood and happiness. Would be donating blood if the donation hurts you mentally like your high paying stressful job? We feel relaxed and contented when we donate blood. We realise we have helped somebody in their lives. This relaxed, happy feeling serves as a reason for our selfless actions. There is a self gain/ fulfillment in the selfless action that we do. The result is that people who perform selfless actions seek a gain that is beyond material wealths. The act of doing in order to gain something from the act makes the action a selfish one.
Some might argue that people lose important things such as time, money, material wealths etc when they perform selfless, social actions and thus do not gain anything but lose their own possesions. Yet, the excitement, the happiness or fulfilment that they gain from losing material possesions for social welfare is not tangible and hence cannot be described on a profit/ loss balance sheets. What they gain from these actions is much more than what they lose. Thus, I would concur that though they lose material poosesions, they gain a lot in turn and thus this gain represents as a selfish motive to perform the action.
In Sum, I concur that people who perform actions, however selfless they may appear, have something to profit from those actions.The presence of a self gain in those actions makes the act a selfish one.
The issue of whether every action dictated by human nature is inspired by a selfish reason is a controversial one. On the one hand, humans perform action that satisfies them and thus serves as a remote base for a selfish reason. On the other hand, people donate money, property etc without being possesive about material things and are philantropical, concerned about other people's lives.However in the final analysis of the issue, I believe that every action performed by human nature is inspired by a selfish reason.
The chief reason for my view is that people who perform selfless actions do so to fulfill a reason or responsibilty that exists. For example, when Microsoft owner, Bill Gates founded the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, he resigned from working in the Microsoft office to completely dedicating himself to philantropical works. When asked about why he left a well paying, billion dollar job, Bill remarked " serving people is my responsibility". The existence of the reason ""responsibility"" proves that since a reason existed, Bill wanted to fulfill that reason and responsibility as a human being. Thus the presence of a reason to do philantropical work serves as a selfish reason for that action.
Another reason for my belief is that people perform selfless action to bring peace and happiness to their minds. Their is a self gain in performing selfless action, the gain of elevating one's mood and happiness. Would be donating blood if the donation hurts you mentally like your high paying stressful job? We feel relaxed and contented when we donate blood. We realise we have helped somebody in their lives. This relaxed, happy feeling serves as a reason for our selfless actions. There is a self gain/ fulfillment in the selfless action that we do. The result is that people who perform selfless actions seek a gain that is beyond material wealths. The act of doing in order to gain something from the act makes the action a selfish one.
Some might argue that people lose important things such as time, money, material wealths etc when they perform selfless, social actions and thus do not gain anything but lose their own possesions. Yet, the excitement, the happiness or fulfilment that they gain from losing material possesions for social welfare is not tangible and hence cannot be described on a profit/ loss balance sheets. What they gain from these actions is much more than what they lose. Thus, I would concur that though they lose material poosesions, they gain a lot in turn and thus this gain represents as a selfish motive to perform the action.
In Sum, I concur that people who perform actions, however selfless they may appear, have something to profit from those actions.The presence of a self gain in those actions makes the act a selfish one.
