A Life of Alturism.

[Sock Full of Boiled Dimes]

Does anyone think this is a good idea?

A life dedicated to the welfare of others. I mean completely ignoring anything that has to do with personal gain. Doing anything and everything to help other.

Is it a silly idea? Is it even possible?

[Roxie]

I dunno, don't monks a nuns do it?

[Swede]

I think altruism would be a better way to go, but that's just me.









Also, helping others doesn't necessitate that it can't also help you. One of those situations where it comes down to whether or not you are doing things for the right reason. But to answer your question without being a dick, no I don't think living altruistically is impossible, a silly idea, or anything else negative. Difficult certainly. I just think people should think for themselves how they personally can make the greatest impact on the world. Someone like Bill Gates, for example, with all the wealth he's accumulated for largely non-altruistic reasons, is able to help a huge number of people with that money. More so than, say, someone who decides to live the life of a beggar or something along those lines, avoiding anything that could benefit themselves in favor of helping other individuals at a more personal level. That's just my take on it thouhg.

[SlickWilly440]

A life dedicated to the welfare of others. I mean completely ignoring anything that has to do with personal gain. Doing anything and everything to help other.

Isn't the happiness that one gets from helping other a personal gain?

[Samurai_Pooh]

Yes, it is possible and worthwhile to be a superhero

[qwert]

I thought altruism only existed when you decided to kill yourself for the benefit of others? Ants drowning themselves to form a bridge comes to mind.

[stsparky]

E. O. Wilson. Read him.

[Jehu]

You could do some good things as an... altruist? It'd be hard to give up everything you like, but you can certainly try and help out quite a few people in the process.

Remember though, you can also do a lot of good things while helping yourself out, too. Take the horridly generic and extreme example of Bill Gates. If he hadn't sought to improve himself and his business, he wouldn't have been able to give away the millions of dollars to charity that he has already.

[Swede]

You could do some good things as an... altruist? It'd be hard to give up everything you like, but you can certainly try and help out quite a few people in the process.

Remember though, you can also do a lot of good things while helping yourself out, too. Take the horridly generic and extreme example of Bill Gates. If he hadn't sought to improve himself and his business, he wouldn't have been able to give away the millions of dollars to charity that he has already.

I definitely just said that. :watson:

[MNJetter]

I don't think it's technically possible, but certainly an admirable ideal, to strive for altruism. Even if you know you'll never reach a state of true, abject selflessness, you'll end up a whole lot more altruistic than you would have been if you didn't try.

It's like that old quote -- "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars."

[Jetsetlemming]

I thought altruism only existed when you decided to kill yourself for the benefit of others? Ants drowning themselves to form a bridge comes to mind.
The word means self-sacrifice but that doesn't always mean sacrificing your life.

[Trump]

If you don't ever do anything for yourself, how can you ever be happy? I mean, even something as simple as splurging on a bowl of ice cream. If you always, every time, said that the money or the ice cream would be better if sent to orphans, why are they more important than yourself? It needs to be a balance.

[stsparky]

It may be hardwired into you.