Is Selflessness A Lie?

[tcda]

Oh ho ho, I smell a Marxist. What's the matter? Richard Dawkins' humanism isn't leftist enough for you?

Well guessed, could it be my signature was a bit obvious?

Do you have anything to say on the issue?

 

[matmos]

Can someone politely ask Veneti to make a comeback?

 

[tcda]

who dat?

 

[Ming]

Alright, what if I attack the thesis?

Firstly, what is a 'lie'? Before we even TALK about Selflessness, tell me what is the definition of a lie?

I'm sure that relates to the 'truth' in some way, then please explain to me the 'truth'. What is the 'truth' of selflessness?

What is TRUTH?

Isn't TRUTH based on human morals? But hey, guess what, so is SELFLESSNESS.

So to argue whether it is a lie, it's quite contradictory...

Just saying.

 

[Arthur Schopenhauer]

Ignore the title of this thread, it was designed to attract attention - nothing more, and nothing less.

The issue stands alone. Ignore the title.

Thanks.

 

[Arthur Schopenhauer]

Alright, what if I attack the thesis?

Firstly, what is a 'lie'? Before we even TALK about Selflessness, tell me what is the definition of a lie?

I'm sure that relates to the 'truth' in some way, then please explain to me the 'truth'. What is the 'truth' of selflessness?

What is TRUTH?

Isn't TRUTH based on human morals? But hey, guess what, so is SELFLESSNESS.

So to argue whether it is a lie, it's quite contradictory...

Just saying.

Huh?

 

[Lark]

Is selfishness a lie?

 

[Arthur Schopenhauer]

You guys make me so hard.

I'm such a slut for boring shit in my thread.

 

[ygolo]

ALL ACTIONS ARE SELFISH

• All actions are selfish because in order to act, one has to have a driving internal desire to act. e.g.: Imagine you want a cup; you have a desire for you to reach for the cup, so if you reach for it, you will be fulfilling that desire. This thought can be translated into any action.

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I believe that there are absolutely no exceptions to this rule. -- Also, I was going to write more examples, but time was dragging out and I don't need to explain one idea more than once.

I think with the same amount of massaging of the definition of "self-motivation" will show that your argument leads to everyone being "self-motivated". This sounds a lot better than being "selfish" but it is exactly the same thing we are talking about.

Let's use the dictionary definitions of self-motivated and selfish.

self-mo·ti·vat·ed
• adj. motivated to do or achieve something because of one's own enthusiasm or interest, without needing pressure from others: she's a very independent, self-motivated individual.

The "driving internal desire to act" is the "[motivation] to do or achieve something because of one's own enthusiasm or interest, without needing pressure from others"

In keeping with what you are saying about what you call "selfishness," even if there is pressure from others, the desire to abate the pressure is still self-motivated.

Main Entry: self·ish
Pronunciation: \ˈsel-fish\
Function: adjective
Date: 1640
1 : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
2 : arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others <a selfish act>

Note the words "excessively or exclusively" in the first definition, and the words "without regard" or "disregard" for others in the definition.

You can make the argument that at base the motivation is in disregard for others. But this is the same slight-of-hand that shows that everyone is self-motivated.

Customizing definitions to fit our purposes (especially with terms that have positive or negative connotations) can be misleading.

I think people get what you are saying. But you have to realize that you have now changed the word selfish into something other than the standard use of the word.