Is there an action that isn't selfish in some manner?
A aid worker gives a loaf of bread to a child. Some would view this as an unselfish and good action. Good it is! But unselfish?
She must of derived some pleasure from the handing the child the food, which is possitive input from her own possitive output. If she derived absolutely no pleasure from possitive output, and believed nothing could possible come from providing the food to the child, would she continue? I don't believe so. I don't believe anyone would do anything if it didn't provide them with something, material or otherwise.
You could argue, "I know some folks who give even when it's hurts themselves!" Exellent point! But does it really hurt them where it hurts though? Sure if they take money from their pocket when they have little, but does it really HURT them? They must derive some pleasure from providing, and if they did, wasn't that "in-a-way" selfish?
Maybe the word selfishness was only ever valid for "knowing" of it's presence in an action? I don't know, heh.
A aid worker gives a loaf of bread to a child. Some would view this as an unselfish and good action. Good it is! But unselfish?
She must of derived some pleasure from the handing the child the food, which is possitive input from her own possitive output. If she derived absolutely no pleasure from possitive output, and believed nothing could possible come from providing the food to the child, would she continue? I don't believe so. I don't believe anyone would do anything if it didn't provide them with something, material or otherwise.
You could argue, "I know some folks who give even when it's hurts themselves!" Exellent point! But does it really hurt them where it hurts though? Sure if they take money from their pocket when they have little, but does it really HURT them? They must derive some pleasure from providing, and if they did, wasn't that "in-a-way" selfish?
Maybe the word selfishness was only ever valid for "knowing" of it's presence in an action? I don't know, heh.
