NationStates Jolt Archive

I was wondering this. Unless it will suit your interests, why? I mean emotionally it could possibly do that, but with that aside, why?
Reputation and profit are two reasons, but what are others?

Tax deductions.

I was wondering this. Unless it will suit your interests, why? I mean emotionally it could possibly do that, but with that aside, why?
Reputation and profit are two reasons, but what are others?
One day you might need help in return?

So your fellow man might help you in the future.

So your fellow man might help you in the future.
Basically an investment.

“Love thy neighbor as thy self.”

“Love thy neighbor as thy self.”
I'll respect that other's privacy and property.

Really, I don't get any pleasant emotions when I help out a random stranger. Friends, I'll do anything for them, and help them any time they need it, though.

Basically an investment.

Exactly, and there's nothing wrong with buying a few shares. The eventual profit could be worth your initial investment.

...Compassion, anyone? Compassion?

*crickets*

Just me then...

Honour. Compassion. Empathy. Generosity. Sympathy. Solidarity.

Hell, I'd even take "Fear of Supernatural Reprisal" for failure to render assistance.

I help the homeless coz it makes it easier to pick up Christian chicks.

Because when you send out positivity and engender good feelings in another, they come back to you multiplied. You could still call this "self-interest". In the longest view, we are all one anyway, so anything you do for another you are ultimately doing for yourself. There really is nobody out there that isn't you. Kind of esoteric, but there you are.

I think we should help each other because we all have common foes. All of us struggle against the harsh truths of this world: inevitability, circumstance, tragedy, and eventually death. Life on this earth is hard enough without us snubbing each other on top of it.

And in the end selfishness just doesn't accomplish much. You screw others over for what? So you can die with money and power instead of friends? In this strange world even the winners will eventually lose. What everyone needs are people to help them through the days and give the life they have some meaning.

Because if I don't, my probation officer will get pissed off.

Basically an investment.

It's more than that for me. In addition to the whole compassion thing and the pragmatic reasons, I also want to know that someday, if I need someone to help me, I'll be at least somewhat deserving of that help.

Welllll

I think it's a matter of if you have to ask; you wouldn't understand?

It may be more appropriate to ask why we wouldnt. Why does a cheetah run fast, because under usual circumstances it is in its best interests to do so. People are fairly successful creatures by several measures. We have a very wide habitat range and some people have survived in space for periods of time. How have we achieved what we have? Not by being the biggest, strongest, the fasted, having the sharpest teeth, breeding at the greatest rate etc, but by being social. Cooperation increases our success, by and large helping each other at a micro-level is helping ourselves (the species) at a macro-level.

I was wondering this. Unless it will suit your interests, why? I mean emotionally it could possibly do that, but with that aside, why?
Reputation and profit are two reasons, but what are others?

and that is why many people hate atheists. they may not do anything WRONG against others out of morals. But why help others if it doesn't benefit you eh? (though really religions make helping others benefit you, it just makes all help beneficial. This being the basis of the religion not the words of the followers. The Inquisition falls under man.)

and that is why many people hate atheists. they may not do anything WRONG against others out of morals. But why help others if it doesn't benefit you eh? (though really religions make helping others benefit you, it just makes all help beneficial. This being the basis of the religion not the words of the followers. The Inquisition falls under man.)

I'm an atheist and I help others simply because I feel it is the right thing to do. Just because we don't believe in a God doesn't mean we don't have morals...

and that is why many people hate atheists. they may not do anything WRONG against others out of morals. But why help others if it doesn't benefit you eh? (though really religions make helping others benefit you, it just makes all help beneficial.)
I do not believe religions make all help beneficial, although they may give people the notion that helping someone else is beneficial. You know what I find so darn strange about religious people who are under the impression that those who follow no religion and do not believe in one deity or another, have no motivation or desire to act compassionately and with respect towards their fellow beings? The fact that they seem to think doing the right thing so they wont get punished is so wonderfully morally, whilst meanwhile anyone who has no inherent fear of post-death punishment would not act in an ethical and caring manner as a result. This kind of attitude says more about the people that hold it than it says about those they feel so judgemental towards.

I suggest it is more moral to do the right thing and help others because you actually care about other people's well-being, than it is to help others just to save yourself...

and that is why many people hate atheists. they may not do anything WRONG against others out of morals. But why help others if it doesn't benefit you eh? (though really religions make helping others benefit you, it just makes all help beneficial. This being the basis of the religion not the words of the followers. The Inquisition falls under man.)

So Religious charity organizations don't have any strings attached?

Because your ultimate goal (one that isn't voiced enough) is to live in a world where everybody's always there for everybody else. No conflicts or problems, ever.

Yeah, I'm a pinko commie.

Because mommy told you so, that's why.

Because you help to make the world better by being better to the world.

I was wondering this. Unless it will suit your interests, why? I mean emotionally it could possibly do that, but with that aside, why?
Reputation and profit are two reasons, but what are others?

Because you've taken out the most significant reason, it's a meaningless question.
You might as well say "Why do people buy cars? Unless you want to get places, why? I mean driving it could possibly do that, but with that aside, why?"

It just seems right.

Why else do anything?

So Religious charity organizations don't have any strings attached?
Not any I’ve been involved with. We just do stuff for the community. We’re open about the fact that we are doing it to atract people to the church, but you will not be forced to listen to a sermon or agree to anything if you come to one of our food drives or other charitable activities. Heck, some of the stuff we do, we work for the government, like Highway pickups and public park clean ups. I can’t speak for what other denominations or churches do in their charities, but this is what the Southern Baptist church that I attend does.

I'm afraid my experiences are somewhat different from the "ideal" view that we all share. I work in customer services, and the number of people I encounter who are rude, intolerant, greedy, miserly, nasty and arrogant is shocking.

When I started my job, I had a naive belief that in this world, people help each other out. Yes, we have disagreements, I thought, but in the end we never do another person down. Don't you believe it. People look for something for nothing all the time, and they will exploit generosity, seek loopholes, play the system, lie, cheat and stab backs to ensure that they secure it.

I don't take it personally - most people are just idiots - but it has made me revise my opinion on people in general. And of course, not everyone fits into this category, there are kindly people out there, but it is the minority that spoils it for the many.

I'm afraid my experiences are somewhat different from the "ideal" view that we all share. I work in customer services, and the number of people I encounter who are rude, intolerant, greedy, miserly, nasty and arrogant is shocking.

Yeah, it's the same for me - but - for some reason we only think of the bad customers. Upon reflection, most people are nice, it's just that the arsehole minority makes everyone else look bad.

Because i give a fuck about other people. I mean, their is this whole karma idea which i play with sometimes, but other than that, I'm just a nice person deep down.

Yeah, it's the same for me - but - for some reason we only think of the bad customers. Upon reflection, most people are nice, it's just that the arsehole minority makes everyone else look bad.

I'd subscribe to what you say. The strange thing is, I don't work in a bank or a supermarket. I work for a charity, and the number of people - people who would, under other circumstances, describe themselves as honest, hard-working, law-abiding individuals - that seek to defraud us makes a mockery of idealistic notions of "human compassion". But as you say, it isn't everyone.

I'd subscribe to what you say. The strange thing is, I don't work in a bank or a supermarket. I work for a charity, and the number of people - people who would, under other circumstances, describe themselves as honest, hard-working, law-abiding individuals - that seek to defraud us makes a mockery of idealistic notions of "human compassion". But as you say, it isn't everyone.

Ehh, that's a shame. I work in a supermarket, so I expect it. If I were working in a charity I could see your point.

My mother used to volunteer for the Salvation Army, and she eventually quit because she was attacked by a schizophrenic woman. It's a shame, really.

I work for a charity, and the number of people - people who would, under other circumstances, describe themselves as honest, hard-working, law-abiding individuals - that seek to defraud us makes a mockery of idealistic notions of "human compassion". But as you say, it isn't everyone.
What do they do to you?

I was wondering this. Unless it will suit your interests, why? I mean emotionally it could possibly do that, but with that aside, why?
Reputation and profit are two reasons, but what are others?

So you can tap his sister.

decency, humanity, class, loftiness of spirit


un je ne sais quoi

possession of the defining mark of good character, which seperates the noble people from the scum

I was wondering this. Unless it will suit your interests, why? I mean emotionally it could possibly do that, but with that aside, why?
Reputation and profit are two reasons, but what are others?
It's actually 'enlightened self interest'. It will benefit you in the end. Perhaps not immediately or radically, but it will.

It's actually 'enlightened self interest'. It will benefit you in the end. Perhaps not immediately or radically, but it will.

Like I said, you help your fellow man, so you can get good with his siter.

It's actually 'enlightened self interest'. It will benefit you in the end. Perhaps not immediately or radically, but it will.
Couldn't have said it better myself. Thanks, Sin.