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RE: Whatever Happened to Just Being a Good Person for its Own Sake?
There are different kind of people around us.
- God-fearing
- People-pleaser
- Selfish
- Morally upright
I think all of us have at least once said this in our life for any possible reason:
If God hadn't forbidden it, I would've done it.
I might have said this too multiple times out of anger.
But if I think about small things I do in daily life, I don't have God in mind when I don't hurt somone.
I don't try to please everyone around. I know my limits.
I'm not selfish all the time. I don't have a hidden cause when I do something nice for anyone.
I'm not angel, I have my shortcomings, but mostly I try to be considerate just for the sake it or simple because it's morally the right thing do.
Indeed, there are many different kinds of people!
I see what they are doing, and sometimes I even understand the psychology of trauma that leads to their choices... but it doesn't mean I necessarily understand the rationalizations.
A friend of mine describes something he has termed "idealistic selfishness." It;s basically a closer look at what we might call win-win situations. I give some coins to the homeless person because it is right for its own sake, but also because doing so reduces the chance that person will end up breaking into my car at some point and stealing something. We are both served by the action.
Interesting. That's how we co-exist. It's ok to put yourself first as long as we balance it with some empathy to others (win-win).