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Do you believe that most people act according to their own self-interest? Is acting only according to your self-interest a good strategy in life? (mander.xyz)

submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by gay_sex@mander.xyz to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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An argument can be made that all actions people take are for their own self-interest. Even things like helping the community is done for reciprocal benefits for yourself plus the general increase in respect.

Another point is that if all people just act for their own self-interest, they will have a better life themselves, and if everyone does the same, some sort of proper balance will be achieved.

I have been having some occasional discussions with my friends over this. I personally disagree, but would love to hear what others have to say. Feel free to discuss!

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[–] Soapbox@lemmy.zip 10 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I've often thought about the idea that there is really no such thing as true altruisim. Because no matter what, you feel good about doing good. Even if you don't tell anyone about the good thing you did, you still get a good feeling from it, therefore there is some inherent selfishness involved no matter what.

Of course there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. People should absolutely being doing good things and get to feel good about it.

[–] Phen@lemmy.eco.br 9 points 3 days ago

Autistic people will often do the right thing simply because they were taught it is what they are supposed to do - with no consideration of how they'll feel about it.

And ADHD people don't get to feel good about anything they do.

Combine the two and you get the ultimate altruists!

(this comment is meant as a joke)

[–] oxjox@lemmy.ml 7 points 3 days ago

When it's trash day on my block (city life) and the collectors leave a trash can in an open parking spot and I move that can to the sidewalk, you're claiming that I'm doing this because it makes me feel good to be helpful to someone I'll never encounter, and that this isn't "true altruism".

So, should we be discussing why we don't do things that make us feel bad? "True altruism" can't exist because we don't go around helping people commit murders or because we're not voting for a politician we dislike? I don't think that's the intent of the word.

I mean, there's 'doing things because they make you "feel good"' and there's altruism. These are not the same nor are they mutually exclusive.

I think perhaps the word you're trying to shoehorn into altruism is heroism - when you do something for the benefit of others knowing it's detrimental to yourself. Or, if you really want to dig into doing things that make you feel bad, I'm not really sure what word that would be. Idiocracy?