by 
Mas
ANSWERS: 14
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No it its also making others feel better cause when we help it show them that we care
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Yes well it actually just a side affect from helping others you do it mostly because you feel bad for the person. you feel better about yourself later, but thats not why you helped them. its a side bennifit But other people bennifit from it to like the ones we help !
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Yes. I have seen very lucid, supported, logically sound arguments that every act we perform is a selfish one. (With selfish meaning "for the self" without a negative connotation.) For instance, you help someone? Why? Because you believe you should; that it is the right thing to do. Therefore, you were motivated by yourself, in self-interest. The self-interest was conforming to your beliefs of what should be done and what is ethical.
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What is the definition of morals and ethics without a self? Everything we do boils down to making ourselves feel good. Because let's face it, deep in some corner of our minds, we know that at the end of it all, the only person who will be left to us, is ourselve's. Charity to dispell guilt, philanthropy to cover old scars, religion to dispell doubt. Nothing has any meaning outside of the self, and outside of self-fulfillment. Love, life, caring, all of that is a thin varnish covering our real intentions. And as horrible as that is, and as hard as you try, everyone is guilty of it. Even I, I do what I do because I care, but I care because I know that others deserve the benifits of what I do more than I do, and no one truly belives that they deserve what they have, the only people who are really doing something from the heart when they help you are thos people who have less than they deserve. We can all try to be good people, we can all try to be self-less, but it's human nature, and there's very little you can do to fight it.
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In a way you are right because helping others makes us feel good. But when most people define selfishness they don't view that as selfishness because the thing that makes you feel good is caring about the well-being of others.
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In a way, yes. But it depends entirely on your motivation for WANTING to help others. If your motivation is simply to feel better about yourself, then yes...it could be considered a selfish act. But you ARE helping someone, even if your motives are that way. On the other hand, if you help out others with that intention, and do so out of giving up your time and energy to help these people, it becomes MORE about the other person...
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It’s more than that. It is an opportunity to improve the overall world condition one step at a time. Is it true that it can make you feel better about yourself? Sure, but it could be that you just care. Ultimately, it doesn’t necessarily make you feel better “about yourself”, but, rather, just better. A true giver is one that does so because they feel the pain of others. They have compassion. Nothing more. We do not like to see others suffer (those of us that are decent). Having said that, we have all seen the type that will help others because it gives them some sense superiority. They do it to be seen, or so they can tell someone else what great work they have done for some poor soul. That’s why Jesus instructed us to “give our alms in secret”, because they that give to the poor openly “have their reward” here on earth, but “the Father, who sees your deeds in secret, will reward you openly”. It was His way of teaching us that what God wants of us to help others because they need it, and not because it “makes us feel better about ourselves.”
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Yes, but if you're making someone else feel better at the same time, then that is the greatest thing you can do. I admit it makes me feel good when I am helping others but I never do it selfishly thinking only of myself.
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Sure, it usually makes us feel better about ourselves, but that doesn't mean it's "just" a way to make us feel better about ourselves. Consider the person sharing a tragic experience that helps another cope, but whose memories actually make them feel worse? For me, it's more often about making others feel good about themselves. I usually feel pretty good about myself and want others to feel good too--especially people who are terribly down on themselves. If I happen to get a little pleasure out of it along the way, well, is there anything wrong with that? I'm not actively looking for anything in return.
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Only if you are seeking rewards.
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If you help someone without hesitation or thought and dont expect notice, then no its not about ourselves. If you help someone with expectation of a reward or thanks then yes it is about ourselves. Either way, helping someone should not be second choice.
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I remember the similar questions was asked, and check out what I answered. its not the same question but still its almost similar. check this out. http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/41267
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Helping others is a way of being outside the problem, and looking in. We are what we are - but being outside of reality is usually nicer.
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altruism!! simply doing for another without expecting anything in return. only i know my motive. granted, an observer might 'see' or 'hear' or 'sense' selfishness in my action, but that's okay, that's their problem. this may sound a bit self-destructive but i try to see the good in others, even try to bring it out if i can. if you haven't helped someone purely because it's the right thing to do, you're missing out on true freedom from self. if i do something altruisically it can't help but make me feel good, period.
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