Poll: Why do YOU do what is right?

[Nouw]

Because it is my belief.

And my belief consists of many different beliefs. Some of them being, good things will come to you if you do good things and that doing kind and positive things will make your life full of kindness and positivity.

 

[Matt East]

Where's the "So I can sleep at night/So I don't stick an 8g in my mouth" answer?

I do good stuff so I feel good, and because if I didn't I loathe myself.

 

[Astiahl]

I do good things...because. If you see an injustice that is actually within your power to change then you should do your damnedest to try. Then again there are certain things that I can never change, and as such don't aim to.

I guess I'll mark "shrug". I don't expect any reward for anything I do, but it's nice when it happens.

 

[Dismal purple]

Solidarity

By helping eachother out we become stronger as a whole.

By striving to be good people and set examples for one another we become stronger as individuals.

 

[Hagi]

In my opinion this is one of these things that doesn't need a reason. You just do it.

 

[Sir Thomas Sean Connery]

The reason I always give is "No reward. I just like helping people and being a nice guy!"

However, the only reason I do it is to build trust and make people think I'm honest and kind. It always makes me the last suspect on the list when they notice their wallets are missing.

 

[BakaSmurf]

I haven't a frggin' clue. I don't feel especially compelled to hand a homeless person a $20 when they're asking for chump change in the name of what's right (alturism), or to donate money to a family whose baby girl needs surgery after getting in some sort of freak accident, I just do.

No 'warm fuzzy' feelings, no 'I made a difference todays,' hell, I actually get mad at people that try to make a big deal about it and try to go on about how I'm a 'saint' for my generosity when it comes to helping "friends" (I use that term subjectively, as I don't actually consider anyone I know to be my friend, certainly a result of my light nihilism) and strangers, so there's no ego-stroking there (not that there's an ego to stroke to begin with), I'm a militant anti-theist that honestly believes the world would be a better place without (most) religion (but that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish I don't want to open here), so it's not for spiritual reasons, and as I said, I actually tend to get mad at (or just react dimmissively towards) people that try to treat me like I deserve some kind of recognition for my actions, so it's not for real rewards...

*sigh* I'm just going with '*shrug* whatever,' as that just so happens to be my go-to response to most people when they thank me for my help, and my actual response to this thread after thinking about it for a while.

 

[Arkhangelsk]

Because I believe that all people are equal to me, and should as such be treated with the same respect as I want to be. Why should I deserve the good things in life if I won't even give a hand to someone else so they can have it too?

Don't get me wrong, I'm not the most charitable person in the world, though. I don't give homeless people money (mostly because I doubt they will use it well).

 

[The_ModeRazor]

GOOD FOR THE GOOD GOD!!! HOPE FOR THE HOPE THRONE!!!

...pretty much, yeah.

(not that I believe in deities, but altruism is kind of a natural thing)

 

[zedel]

I do what is right...for me. If I feel guilty about doing something, I won't do it. If I feel that there is no reason not to do it, then I'll do it. For instance, I have no issues with lying. I can lie without a twinge of guilt. However, I find it very difficult to break a promise.

 

[C95J]

Well I don't know what Altruism is, and I'm not religious. I also don't do nice things just for my own personal gain. I guess my answer is "*shrug*, whatever".

Seriously though I don't know why I do nice things, I just do. It feels like the right thing to do really, and I guess I just like being nice to people.

 

[Arjen Ab]

Well I am a christian so maybe in my subconscious I do it for a spiritual award but I like to think that I do things the way I do because I'm me and not because I have to do it.
So when I do right I do it because I want to stand up for something or think a person should be helped etc.
And when I do wrong I I'm being selfish for my own reason.

 

[enistoja]

The closest that gets to why I do it is Altruism.
Mostly because I do what's right and help others because it makes me feel good.

It makes me feel that maybe they'll do soemthing good too. That I made a difference.

 

[Broady Brio]

My body has been wired to respond positively to such actions.

God knows why.

 

[FamoFunk]

A reward? I just do good things because there's no reason why I shouldn't, and I like being a good person.

This guy on the first page has pretty much summed it up for me.

 

[Zantos]

I like to think if I'm nice to people they'll remember. Then in return they'll be nice to me, maybe help me out if I ever need it.

 

[SsilverR]

some days i can be selfless ... and when i am i care little for rewards, not sure why exactly since there are also days where i won't press a button to save your life if there was nothing in it for me... also i have the rare days where even if i could've pressed that button and there was a reward ... i'd just want to watch you die instead.

not really sure how to answer this since i haven't really figured myself out yet