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Re: Debate on Altruism. [message #371789 is a reply to message #371463]

Thu, 12 February 2009 10:31

cheesesoda
Messages: 6507
Registered: March 2003
Location: Jackson, Michigan

Karma:

General (5 Stars)

I think you misunderstand the concept of self-interest a little bit. You are insinuating that all selfishness is a bad thing and that it's a corruption of sorts. I don't believe that, at all. It certainly can BE a corruption of the mind/soul/heart, etc..., but I don't feel that it has to be.

I assume that in Buddhism, you live your life in a way to be enlightened among other things. You're acting in self-interest, but it's not "selfish" in the way that the world sees selfishness. You're not trying to put yourself above anyone else, and you're certainly not trying to push anyone down. You're simply trying to progress as a person, and helping others along the way. Certainly bettering yourself is not "selfish", but it is acting in self-interest.

Of course, acting in a self-destructive manner IS a selfish act, and selfishness is a negative form of egoism.

Like I said, acting in self-interest doesn't have to be done with the intent to reap the benefits. That's the difference between someone you can see as moral versus someone as immoral. It's what one seeks to get out of it.

You brought up love. People don't get into love because it's "what humans do". You have a desire to be with someone and make them happy. If you can do that, then you succeed in your desire. You benefit from the sense of fulfillment, and you benefit from getting love in return (hopefully) from your partner.

Edit: Of course, there's also people who like relationships to control someone else, but then that's just an obvious case of egoism. Then there's arranged marriages which is to not shame one's family/culture/religion by refusing.

whoa.

[Updated on: Thu, 12 February 2009 10:47]

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[Message index]

		Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Tue, 10 February 2009 14:55
		Re: Racism By: GEORGE ZIMMER on Tue, 10 February 2009 16:07
		Re: Racism By: cheesesoda on Tue, 10 February 2009 16:59
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		Re: Racism By: SSADMVR on Wed, 11 February 2009 02:45
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		Re: Racism By: z310 on Wed, 11 February 2009 03:12
		Re: Racism By: Goztow on Wed, 11 February 2009 04:26
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Wed, 11 February 2009 06:30
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Wed, 11 February 2009 07:30
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Spoony on Thu, 12 February 2009 06:29
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Herr Surth on Wed, 11 February 2009 08:04
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: SSADMVR on Wed, 11 February 2009 09:02
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Wed, 11 February 2009 10:50
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: R315r4z0r on Wed, 11 February 2009 11:27
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Wed, 11 February 2009 15:15
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: GoArmy44 on Wed, 11 February 2009 21:26
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Herr Surth on Wed, 11 February 2009 10:52
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Starbuzz on Wed, 11 February 2009 11:14
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ryu on Wed, 11 February 2009 12:56
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: R315r4z0r on Wed, 11 February 2009 16:15
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Wed, 11 February 2009 18:22
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 00:38
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 04:03
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: SSADMVR on Thu, 12 February 2009 02:48
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 03:27
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 05:59
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 06:28
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 06:35
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Spoony on Thu, 12 February 2009 08:35
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 07:17
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 08:01
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 10:14
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: bisen11 on Thu, 12 February 2009 08:13
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 08:24
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: bisen11 on Thu, 12 February 2009 14:13
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 09:07
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Spoony on Thu, 12 February 2009 11:24
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 10:31
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 10:54
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 11:35
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Spoony on Thu, 12 February 2009 11:57
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: SSADMVR on Thu, 12 February 2009 12:02
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 12:11
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ma1kel on Thu, 12 February 2009 12:19
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 12:46
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ma1kel on Thu, 12 February 2009 12:54
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ma1kel on Thu, 12 February 2009 13:01
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 13:08
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Spoony on Fri, 13 February 2009 04:33
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Fri, 13 February 2009 05:07
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 13:08
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 13:20
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ma1kel on Thu, 12 February 2009 13:09
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Thu, 12 February 2009 13:29
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 13:37
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ma1kel on Thu, 12 February 2009 14:00
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Herr Surth on Thu, 12 February 2009 14:05
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 14:41
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: CarrierII on Thu, 12 February 2009 15:39
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: nikki6ixx on Thu, 12 February 2009 16:31
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 16:41
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Muad Dib15 on Thu, 12 February 2009 17:58
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: BlueThen on Thu, 12 February 2009 18:03
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Thu, 12 February 2009 18:12
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Fri, 13 February 2009 00:41
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Fri, 13 February 2009 08:24
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: bisen11 on Sun, 15 February 2009 01:25
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: reborn on Fri, 13 February 2009 09:27
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: cheesesoda on Fri, 13 February 2009 10:05
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: z310 on Sun, 15 February 2009 01:47
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: bisen11 on Sun, 15 February 2009 11:29
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ma1kel on Tue, 17 February 2009 11:35
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: bisen11 on Tue, 17 February 2009 23:59
		Re: Debate on Altruism. By: Ma1kel on Wed, 18 February 2009 13:43

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