The root of all evil?

Trollheart · 08-03-2022, 05:06 AM

I'd be interested to know how you, Guybrush, then characterise selfless acts? How can they be selfish? If someone runs into a burning building to save another person, okay there's the "I'm a hero" and the possible fame after it, but do they do it for these reasons or just because it's the right thing to do, and if the latter, how is that selfish?

Also, loath as I am to hold myself up as an example of selflessness, tell me what's selfish about what I do for my sister? I don't gain anything from it and if anyone praises me (as a lot do) I just shrug and say it's what anyone would do. My life has been more or less stopped in its tracks and will be until one of us dies, so can you characterise my actions as selfish? Am I just trying to be "the big man", and if so, why am I not going around telling everyone about it, which I don't?

Or, to move from me then, what about people who constantly adopt children and/or animals? How are they selfish? Of course none of this is evil, but the discussion seems to have shifted in the direction of what is/everyone is selfish, so I think my questions are valid.

This isn't meant to come across as combative by the way, so sorry if it does, but I am genuinely surprised at how you see altruistic acts as being selfish, if I've read your replies right.

View Poll Results: What do you consider the root of all evil?
Money	1	12.50%
Sex	0	0%
Power	3	37.50%
Religion	1	12.50%
Other	3	37.50%
Voters: 8. You may not vote on this poll

08-03-2022, 05:06 AM	#26 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,996	I'd be interested to know how you, Guybrush, then characterise selfless acts? How can they be selfish? If someone runs into a burning building to save another person, okay there's the "I'm a hero" and the possible fame after it, but do they do it for these reasons or just because it's the right thing to do, and if the latter, how is that selfish? Also, loath as I am to hold myself up as an example of selflessness, tell me what's selfish about what I do for my sister? I don't gain anything from it and if anyone praises me (as a lot do) I just shrug and say it's what anyone would do. My life has been more or less stopped in its tracks and will be until one of us dies, so can you characterise my actions as selfish? Am I just trying to be "the big man", and if so, why am I not going around telling everyone about it, which I don't? Or, to move from me then, what about people who constantly adopt children and/or animals? How are they selfish? Of course none of this is evil, but the discussion seems to have shifted in the direction of what is/everyone is selfish, so I think my questions are valid. This isn't meant to come across as combative by the way, so sorry if it does, but I am genuinely surprised at how you see altruistic acts as being selfish, if I've read your replies right. __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018