Poll: Why do YOU do what is right?

[Doitpow]

I was thinking about this today. What reward do you expect for your acts of kindness or sacrifice? I used to think I was purely altruistic, but today I was thinking it migth be more an ego thing. Not as bad as it sounds, I just like the idea that I am the kind of person who doesn't do bad things, who knows what is right and does it. It gives me a sense of certainty and identity (rare enough commodities). Outside of that I expect no reward. Not sure if that makes me selfish or not, but 'tis the truth.

How about you escapists? Why do you do what's right? spiritual reward? a belief that doing good tends to pay itself back? Or are you a true Altruist?

 

[Colour Scientist]

Mainly because if I don't my conscience makes me feel bad so in order to make myself feel better I do what I consider to be right or kind.

So, I guess ultimately it's selfish as it's to ease my own conscience.

 

[Jedamethis]

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

 

[FalloutJack]

You uhhh...expect me to nail it down to one, do ya? Good luck.

 

[Smooth Operator]

For the nooky obviously, hasn't worked sofar but some day! Mark my words!
Actually playing a bit of an ass works far better, do "the right thing" for your ego.

 

[KiKiweaky]

I said real world reward but I'm not entirely sure its totally accurate, I guess I just dont like being an ass with people. If you are you'll quickly find you have no friends if you keep it up.

 

[stefanbertramlee]

Getting nice things back.

 

[rokkolpo]

I generally like the idea of people seeing me as a hero.

 

[otakon17]

I like helping people, even if I don't get anything in return. I know it might sound a bit like bull, but if I can help I do.

 

[dagens24]

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.

 

[kasperbbs]

Because i believe that if i'm nice to others they will be nice to me, also it makes me feel good. I loathe the idea that people are so terrible and evil that you have to threaten them with eternal fires of hell in order to keep things civil.

 

[Torrasque]

Mainly because if I don't my conscience makes me feel bad so in order to make myself feel better I do what I consider to be right or kind.

So, I guess ultimately it's selfish as it's to ease my own conscience.

This.
There have been times when I have HATED my conscience for making me do something I really really didn't want to do, but I had to.

 

[Vault Girl]

I was discussing this with a friend of mine, he's an atheist and i prefer applying ethics and philosophy then organised religion.

He said that honestly, He saw the societal value of doing good things, but that didn't really dissuade him from doing bad things, and since there is no God that's really the only reason we should be good individuals.

I think it's more then that, surely if their is an absence of a God, does it mean we basically can do bad things, so long as we can escape societies expectations of us?

I prefer to follow the concept of the Iranaen Theodicy, which means that even if there is or is not a God, the doing good is the just, moral and right thing to do. Conscience plays a big part in it.

 

[GeorgW]

I'm definitely the shrug option. I figure, if it's not out of my way, why not?

 

[spartan231490]

I picked altruism, but that's just cuz it was the closest to my motivation. I do "the right thing" as I see it, because that's just my way. Anytime I do the "right thing" it's because I believe in it. That's as far as I can interpret my own motivations. I believe that a man should sacrifice for the things he believes in, and I have no problems doing that myself. Why, I have no idea, it's not out of expectation of reward in this world, or a spiritual reward, I've ruled those out. But it could be an ego thing, or a simple avoidance of guilt, I don't know that I'm qualified to analyse myself reliably on something that basic, most people aren't, it's a self-image thing.

 

[Kargathia]

I find that the smug sense of superiority is a worthy reward.

 

[spartan231490]

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.

Some people do. It's very rare, but I don't think anyone can say that out of 7 billion people on this planet there aren't at least a handful that are truly altruistic. But yes, it is far far more common for people to believe they are being altruistic than for people to actually be altruistic.

There are a lot of psychological studies that have looked into this, I'm by far no expert, but I'm pretty sure most of them conclude that some people actually do act without any expectation of reward, or even the avoidance of guilt, but that they are far far more rare than people who think they act like that.

 

[sms_117b]

Because I was brought up to do what is perseived as "right", it's just a part of what make me, me. However living alone has warped it slightly, it's now more, I do what's right for me.