Poll: Why do YOU do what is right?

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emeraldrafael

New member
Jul 17, 2010
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the idea of getting to heaven.

And the fear that my uncle or grandfather will hear and beat the ever loving shit out of me.
 

Togs

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Dec 8, 2010
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As I cannot bear the thought that I have made someone else suffer unduly.
 

Da Orky Man

Yeah, that's me
Apr 24, 2011
2,107
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I do it because it will help humanity as a whole.
Seriously, I wouldn't mind going without credit if I could do something huge. Yes, credit would be nice, but the real reward is knowing that I have improved this planet for everyone, in some small way.
I think that technically counts as real-world reward. Simply seeing humanity improve.
 

sergnb

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Mar 12, 2011
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I received a good education. I have a strong moral and ethic system. I can differenciate what is wrong from what is not wrong.

I don't believe in God, I don't believe in being good just for fear of punishment, I am good because it provides me self-satisfaction and because I appreciate the well being of everyone surrounding me.

Seriously, this might sound really cliché and whatnot, but THIS is the attitute that everyone should have (God existing or not is debatable, but really, if the only thing preventing you from murdering and raping children is fear of going to hell, there's something wrong with you)
 

Exo-Mike

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Feb 14, 2010
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To freak people out

Anyone that knows me for some strange reason becomes instantly distrustful of any good deed or nice thing I do

Strange but true

Edit - didn't answer the poll cos there wasn't a section that applied
 

KarlMonster

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Mar 10, 2009
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dagens24 said:
I'm going to punch everyone who said altruism right in the mouth. That's BULLSHIT; altruism is impossible. Even if you aren't doing if for the sake of feeling good about yourself, you still do. No one does something good/nice and walks again feeling like shit.
Actually, its quite possible.

Strictly speaking, altruism is suicidal from an evolutionary standpoint. There will always be some BASTion of the community who is perfectly willing to take advantage of your willingness to be self-sacrificing. Fortunately for the nicer people of the world, human evolution has been arrested with modern medicines, law enforcement, etc etc etc.

The world at large, however, is still a very cruel place, and shit really does happen with alarming frequency. Yet, giving solace and shelter to others in their personal shit-storms, is not necessarily self-sacrificing if it costs you nothing. Why give anything at all? Acts of self-sacrifice could be explained away as 'paying it forward'; an odd social meme that suggests random acts of kindness on your part to repay kindnesses received. Yet I find that idea to be tenuous; its dangerously close to being an urban legend that may soon be entirely forgotten.

I know the 'Meaning of Life'. That is to say; I understand to my own satisfaction, what caused me to be here, why I am here, and what I am supposed to do with my life. Life is an accident brought on by raging hormones and genetic material. My consciousness is a side-effect of millions of years of evolution. My stream of consciousness is the product of my environment, my experience, and my education. My future path is to do whatever I damn well please (including lots and lots of video games).

I can't always make positive changes in the world. I have neither the resources, nor the time, nor the capabilities to fix more than a few small problems. The world is full of shit and stink and ugliness. I don't have to like it. I don't have to accept it. I don't have to be complacent about it. And every tiny little bit helps.

Edit: ...and somehow I keep getting screwed anyway.
 

AngryMongoose

Elite Member
Jan 18, 2010
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Because otherwise I wouldn't be able to feel righteous fury against those who don't live up to my moral standards.
 

Ickorus

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Mar 9, 2009
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Mostly just because that's just the way I am, I find it very difficult to do or say things that I could hurt other people, i'll admit though that maybe a bit of it is because people tend to treat me better if I treat them as such.

Tough if someone is a dick to me im quite likely to be as much of a dick back.
 

Mrglass08

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Dec 12, 2010
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Because it is right, and my calls me to do what is right, not for any sort of reward, not material or self image because that taints the intent and not for a heavenly one because there is nothing I can do to earn that since Christ has already done everything needed, but simply because we are called to live righteously. It is both a duty and a delight.
 

OmniscientOstrich

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Jan 6, 2011
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I very rarely do good things as opposed to acting entirely indifferent to almost any situation I come across. If called upon, or if there is an oppourtunity to help someone with something I am rather adept at, then I'll do it. If your going to do something of philanthropic nature then it should be simply to help others, that being it's own reward rather than for your own monetary gain or to appease your God(s) or whatever.
 

mrscott137

New member
Apr 8, 2010
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Altruism/ people will treat me that way. I have this useless little ideal that if we are all good to each other then the world would be far better off, so I may as well try myself, because it makes that little bit of difference to a greater good.

Don't know why I bother sometimes to be honest, it's hard to forget that people are assholes sometimes, sometimes for no better reason than no reason.
 

Rusty pumpkin

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Sep 25, 2009
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When doing the right thing to strangers, this normally extends to "Hey, I need a pencil/paper/help with this" at which point I figure, hell, why not. Helps that I have an annoying amount of empathy most of the time, pretty much making it impossible to be a jerk intentionally.

Among friends, it's the empathy thing. I rarely have a consideration for myself when thinking about what I should do, so it's mostly for the sake of them that I act. Best of intentions, but I can't be trusted to give good advice, so I'm mostly an open ear for them.
 

mrscott137

New member
Apr 8, 2010
135
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KarlMonster said:
dagens24 said:
I'm going to punch everyone who said altruism right in the mouth. That's BULLSHIT; altruism is impossible. Even if you aren't doing if for the sake of feeling good about yourself, you still do. No one does something good/nice and walks again feeling like shit.
Actually, its quite possible.

Strictly speaking, altruism is suicidal from an evolutionary standpoint. There will always be some BASTion of the community who is perfectly willing to take advantage of your willingness to be self-sacrificing. Fortunately for the nicer people of the world, human evolution has been arrested with modern medicines, law enforcement, etc etc etc.

The world at large, however, is still a very cruel place, and shit really does happen with alarming frequency. Yet, giving solace and shelter to others in their personal shit-storms, is not necessarily self-sacrificing if it costs you nothing. Why give anything at all? Acts of self-sacrifice could be explained away as 'paying it forward'; an odd social meme that suggests random acts of kindness on your part to repay kindnesses received. Yet I find that idea to be tenuous; its dangerously close to being an urban legend that may soon be entirely forgotten.

I know the 'Meaning of Life'. That is to say; I understand to my own satisfaction, what caused me to be here, why I am here, and what I am supposed to do with my life. Life is an accident brought on by raging hormones and genetic material. My consciousness is a side-effect of millions of years of evolution. My stream of consciousness is the product of my environment, my experience, and my education. My future path is to do whatever I damn well please (including lots and lots of video games).

I can't always make positive changes in the world. I have neither the resources, nor the time, nor the capabilities to fix more than a few small problems. The world is full of shit and stink and ugliness. I don't have to like it. I don't have to accept it. I don't have to be complacent about it. And every tiny little bit helps.

Edit: ...and somehow I keep getting screwed anyway.
Well said. Well said indeed.
 

theevilgenius60

New member
Jun 28, 2011
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Mostly I do it as an example. I have a few people who look to me and I wouldn't feel right leading them astray
 

zehydra

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Oct 25, 2009
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2 reasons: A life revolved around living at other's expense is unfulfilling,

2nd and most important reason: Basically, Karma. When you do the right thing, you are doing the right thing for society as a whole. Every way you positively impact somebody's life, you positively impact life in general, as a whole. Input to one person becomes input to an entire system, which you use. I like to think of it as kind of like earth conservationism. The reason you don't want to pollute the earth is because it's everybody's to use.