If you have a moment, I'd like to ask you honestly what you think about something that's been on my mind.
Do truly selfless people exist?
Most people would say yes, that there are selfless people, but I want you to hear me out. Suppose you were to give money to a homeless person you saw on the street. You could argue that you did it because it was the right thing to do. However, if you had ignored him and continued walking, wouldn't you have felt bad? Then, rather than acting out of selflessness, your actions were driven by self-gratification.
Regardless of whether you claim it wasn't your intention, you unintentionally benefited from it. For instance, assisting others can help us develop social ties and improve our reputation, both of which can result in opportunities and advantages in the future.
Not that I disapprove of the notion of genuinely selfless individuals. Simply put, I don't think it's possible for someone to be that kind-hearted and not harbor any ulterior motives. Try talking to your new seatmate as an example. You strike up a conversation with them in an effort to break the awkward atmosphere between strangers. It's important to keep in mind that your attempt to start a conversation may upset the other person, who may be finding the environment to be rather relaxing. Wouldn't that mean you ruined someone else's happiness for your own gain? All for the simple reason that you felt uncomfortable.
Aristotle once said, "Every action and pursuit is considered to aim at some good, and for this reason, the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim."
Aristotle suggests that every action we take is intended to achieve some good, whether for ourselves or others. He contends that regardless of whether it is tangible or intangible, we are constantly trying to acquire something that we think will benefit us. Anything from material possessions to social standing to personal contentment or happiness could fall under this category.
All actions, even those that appear to be performed out of selflessness, are ultimately driven by our desire to obtain some sort of personal benefit or a sense of fulfillment, according to Aristotle's theory that all actions are intended to achieve some good. This is not to say that we act inherently selfishly, but rather that we are always driven by our unique needs and desires.
Hey, you. Have you ever thought about why you do the things you do? Have you ever acted in a truly selfless way?
However, whether you do or not is ultimately irrelevant to me. What you do is none of my business. I simply thought the question was thought-provoking; don't you?