This might sound OBVIOUS, but please humour me and focus on this for a minute.
I talk a lot about myself as a new writer, but my degree is in community studies. I used to develop charities and social enterprises. My job was to develop happier and sustainable communities.
Sounds very happy clappy, I know, but I did this for 15 years and it was such a rewarding job.
There is a lot you notice about people who do things for the community and there are general types, you will notice them on here. Some may appear to be 'bad guys' but they all have a place in our charitable world. I am going to give them names.
The Smug Sprout.
The do-gooder who creates a lot of opportunity and voice for the community, in the vain hope of getting their face splashed across the media
The Pied Piper
Leaders of groups who have a social mission for the better good. It could be the leader of a church group with a religious calling, a community group with a charitable cause or a focus group for a struggling individual.
The Back Scratcher
The business gurus fulfilling their SCR (Social and corporate responsibility), a local authority who has to hit targets, or a paid individual.
The Social Maverick
A passionate individual who carries on regardless, jumping from one project to another to spread the good of the community.
There are a few more I could name but these are most general.
My philosophical thought
My point is, it doesn't matter what the motive behind it is if it is doing good.
We can ignore the ego's if it gets good results.
Have you a charitable role and motive? I am a bit of a back scratcher, as I get paid to develop others. It's my job. But I am passionate about supporting writers in different circumstances, so I am also a bit of a social maverick. There is nothing wrong with either of those, if it makes a positive difference.
Thoughts?
I think every human do "good"because they're selfish. If I make someone else feel good, that I really truly want to feel good, it's for my own good feeling I'm doing it. In principle. I mean..I guess we can be truly altruistic for our children or close family. But that's also to protect our genes and something we've invested ALOT into. Not only material things and time, but love and protection. To take the step and get a child means you will (in most cases) love that child more than you love yourself. That's a big deal. You've gone out on a limb so to speak to love someone that much. To lose that person would destroy you.
(That was a digression about altruism..back to topic)
I really want to see the smiles on a childs face when he gets a nice present for christmas, or the shock on a poor person's face when he or she receives a large sum of money that could help them.
The reason I want that is because I know their feelings. I know how they feel. I think most people know how that feels. Unless you're born into immense wealth, we all know, at least we can empethize on how it would be to be poor.
You just know that donating to a poor child would just make his world. And that makes you feel great, because you mirror his feelings. We all do that all the time. We like to feel feelings.
Sometimes though, it's not good to give. To give money to the heroin addict family member is probably not a good thing. Or to loan money to the irresponsible guy or gal who just wastes it on garbage instead of paying the bills. If you keep giving them, they never learn.
So we have to define good every time we make decisions. Should I help this person in this or that way? Why should I help that person? Does he deserve help? Is the time he requires of me to help him, more important than my time doing something else? I mean..for me, the most important person in MY life, is ME (except my child)
So, charity is actually, in my opinion often doing more harm than good. It rarely solves the real problems, but like medicine, it deals with the symptoms (poverty or lack of money)
Doesn't mean one shouldnt do it, but it must be an act of selfishness in my opinion, to be truly good. To be altruistic goes against every fibre in our bodies. So if you're true to yourself and you know that you're doing this for YOUR own feelings primarilly, then sure. :)
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That's a really refreshing perspective and I think I get it. Our selfish reasons; moral obligations, reward factors, feel good factors, and love (examples) drive us to make charitable actions. If it's not for selfish reasons, then it's for other factors that would not give the empathic social kudos it deserves. It is rubber stamping the symptom not the cause. Am I on the right track with your thinking ?
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100% :)
Does your thoughts on the matter correspond with that?
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Yes, actually it does. I think you have hit the nail on the head with something that was floating around my mind. I'm really chuffed lol, as it makes perfect sense!
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Awesome! I'm very glad it does :)
I think the reason it's been floating around in your head not fitting entirely into place could be because we've been learned that selfishness is BAD. So, then when we constantly go around and do selfish things, we feel this weird disconnect or something - like something is weird or not right.
It's one of those things that when you stop and put the piece into the puzzle, it all makes sense. Rational selfishness is NOT bad! Aha! Eureka. Making ME happy and content is first priority - always. Does that mean going around hitting random people? Pissing in the penny-cup of some beggar? No, of course not. That would not make me happy. Feeling good about yourself does not come from putting other people down, or destroying that of others. Even in rational selfishness and capitalism - or should I say, especially in those things - selfishness and rationality does affect everyone in the best possible way. Doesn't mean it's always perfect, no one ever gets hurt or someone never feels bad about something..sure. But it means that I take rational decisions as often as I can, and I weigh the decision.."will this make my life better or worse? Will it make that persons life better or worse? Will me sacrificing just a little bit in this situation have a big impact on me? No? But it will give me some social "cred"? Sure, I'll do it. I'll bring some smiles on your faces. I like smiles. I like people who are happy because of me. That makes ME feel good as well. What a happy bunch we are :)
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You should do a post on this as I find it is a fascinating philosophy. Is selfishness a bad thing?...
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"the smug sprout" - LOL! I know exactly what you mean, Sarah - I can picture a few sprouts I've encountered in my days.
It's a very interesting question you pose - essentially, do the ends justify the means? If a person does good for selfish reasons, they've still done something good, right - or did their selfishness cause more harm than good.... okay, I'm gonna need more coffee... LOL
Excellent thought provoking post - well done!
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Haha thank you @scandinavianlife raises a good debate about selfishness. If we fall from our own selfish points and get carried along with 'what seems to be kind thing' does it have an impact. You may need more coffee when reading through his comments. It's great stuff!
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On it! 😄
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personally, I think sometimes motives do matter too. I mean, the ones you specified are fine, I guess. But for instance, someone who does good for one other person in order to pave a way for future manipulation of that person. At the point of when he did the charitable deed, it was good, but afterwards, when he comes claiming his stake, it's not so good anymore.
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Yes, very good point. I think I will name that one 'The Back Patting Assassin.' I might do a part two on this as I think it raises alot of questions. Thanks for your thoughts.
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Good pot
Thank
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hahahahaha
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