Rhutobello wrote:The way I see it, then Selfishness can be explained when a person want to take something he/she don't need, and which then goes on the cost of other.
Let me take two situations.
2 person goes down a street. 1 is not rich but have enough money to get through...the other is a hobo with no money what so ever.
Suddenly a guy approaches and offer a free sleeping bag.
The guy who has enough money is fastest in his reply, and he get the sleeping bag.
He has another sleeping bag in the house, and he want to show how nice he is by selling this to someone for half the price of what it is worth.
The next person goes to a shop and buy a sleeping bag.
He has another, not so fancy back home.
He want to be nice, and is putting this up for half the price of it worth.
Was both equal good...or who was selfish?
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Even if the first did not have a sleeping bag at home, he had enough money to buy one...so he took the bag on the cost of the hobo who really needed it. The same selfishness is shown when we try to achieve personal gain in job, or relationship, by downgrading other, when you know that isn't true...but you can see that the action benefits you.
Just a friendly caveat, gentle folks!
I think we are getting too ambitious and mixing greed with selfishness, somewhat greedily
The rich guy with the 'grab what I can get' mentality is actually greedy! It perhaps arises from uncertainty if his existing sleeping bag at home will be enough, or will not get stolen someday so he wants a 'back-up' and grabs it. If he lets the hobo take it, he might seem like an unselfish man but unselfishness is not giving charity of 200 dollars when you have a million in bank! It is nice, and good, but not really unselfish act! When in poor countries, parents stay hungry so that their child can eat, because there is only limited food -- that is unselfishness!
Greed may be pretty close to selfishness and we can argue it in the mix, but I see those differently as illustrated above.
As far as morality is concerned, that comes into play really when either our greed or selfishness actually hurts someone, in my opinion. If there is plenty of food at a party and enough for everyone and no one hungry around and I overeat, it is greed but not necessarily immoral because what does not get eaten will be thrown in garbage anyways. Immorality then rests on the shoulder of the host who could have sent the excess food to a place that gives free meals to poor people. Many do that! It is charity, in a senee, and does good, but not selflessness necessarily. You would have thrown the food anyway! Giving what you have in excess is not a very high order of charity, but can be called thoughtful and kind and has good moral value.
Now if at a party there is a plate of cupcakes that are delicious and when we come to the last one left and I eat it. Can that be called selfish or greed?
What do you all think?
Love, Light, Ruminations,
