Why do you think everyone is selfish?
Because we act in our own self-interest. Being selfish means you are pursuing your own interest.
So would you rather save 100 people or yourself if you had a choice?
Haha, you're describing something like a trolley problem here. I would save myself. There's no doubt about that. But hey, at least I am honest with myself unlike most people who claim they would sacrifice themselves for the greater good, then do the opposite if it actually happens
What if someone genuinely chooses to die for 100 people?
Then, they'd be betraying themselves. There is no reason for them to choose others above themselves.
What if it was something they genuinely wanted?
Then they made that decision for themselves in their own self-interest, no?
Some people can be actually compassionate.
I lean more towards the idea that altruism ultimately serves one life above all others. As a student leader, I never viewed my position as something that requires self-sacrifice. I am helping students because it is part of my duties and responsibilities. It is not necessarily out of pure kindness. I think it is important to recognize that I am doing this for myself while still making a real difference for the community.
What if you simply desire to help someone?
Then that desire is yours and you followed your own desire.
But it benefits the receiver of help
Sure, but I am sure the Good Samaritan had a reason to do so; like expecting something in return.
No, because one time, right at this parking lot where we're standing, my car broke down. Then, a stranger offered to help me out of generosity. I could have had distrust like you, too. Why would they help me out of kindness? But, they really weren't expecting anything in return.
But it gave them something like a feeling of self-worth, or satisfaction, didn't it?
That doesn't mean they are selfish.
To me, it does. And it's not a bad thing.
Selfishness is not bad?!
No, it just means that they were pursuing their own self-interest. The definition of selfishness to me is not the one people use daily as an insult. Any action you take in order to achieve something that aligns with your self-interest is selfishness. Even love involves the self. Like if you buy your girlfriend a gift, say a necklace, you are being selfish because you want your loved one to wear it.
But that's so cynical. Why can you not believe in the goodness of people?
That's just the world we live in. It is what it is.
This is as far as I can remember from our conversation. Despite being in quotations, these lines simply convey the core idea, and as much as I tried, they may not always contain the exact wordings we actually used. Unfortunately, I do not have a photographic memory. Full transparency: both of us repeated the same ideas and didn't use the right words all the time. Hence, the summary dialogue is a lot shorter here than the lengthy conversation we had.
However, I was quite pleased to realize that for the most part, we did not drift away from the central argument. Overall, I seem to have been able to defend my position. That was, of course, until the next class when he started questioning me in the middle of a Physics lab.
I couldn't argue so well the other day because I was feeling sleepy, but I realized that your argument is flawed
Why?
Not everything needs a reason to happen.
Of course, it does. There is a reason for everything.
Well. I could just jump in the middle of the crowd and dance without a reason. Just gut feeling
But you don't.
But I could.
But you're not doing it right now because there was no reason that motivated you to do it
What if I help someone for no reason?
There is always a reason.
It could be just a force of habit.
Then, what started that habit in the first place?
But that's so bleak. Are you saying that selflessness is impossible?
I wouldn't go so far as to say that, but I think the idealized standard of selflessness is too high or unreasonable for men to actually practice.
How about the time when that girl defended for you when the professor deducted you points for misunderstanding the question on the exam?
I think this is too personal for me to be able to weigh in as I could be either saying mean things or sugarcoating the situation.
See, it's because it doesn't apply in real world scenario!
No, I just don't plan on losing a friendship. There still remains the truth to it.
So, let's say if someone falls down in front of you, you would pick them up. You're not expecting anything in return.
I should have said, You desire a well-being of a fellow human. You acted based on your desire.
But I said, How do you know you are not trying to look like a savior?
(or something like that...)
Regardless, it's not about the benefit of the receiver. it's about the motive of the one who initiated the course of action.And yes, our second day discussion was rather relatively sloppy compared to the first because we had to make sure we did not catch attention from the professor. But it's a good thing that I retain more memory of it as it happened just hours ago before I started writing this down at midnight.