Absolutely Unselfish Acts

[Supersour]

Who here believes that a human can commit an absolutely unselfish act?

[Megan (Fishy)]

Is anything going to qualify as unselfish, in your mind, or is suggesting that I believe in unselfish acts even worth it?

[nathan_p]

To be kind of douchey interjecting amateur psychologist -- emotion can also be influenced by your brain just plain fucking up and throwing a gear. Sometimes the brain has no reasons to do what it does -- it's just programmed to, whether or not that programming is advantageous to you, or even if it's responding to a specific stimulus.

[o0_flying high_0o]

In which case, no such act exists. Unless you're willing to offer one, since you have said you believe its possible.

Though I still maintain that a person is not committing a selfish act if they're acting with unselfish motives...

[Supersour]

@ Flying - This:

- the person is not in a state of mind where they can comprehend the consequences of their actions

- the person is unaware of the benefit their action will have on someone else

- the person will never know that they have helped someone

[RantingSidekick]

You have mandatory community service?

I wish my school required it. Everyone just does it for college apps.

*wishes she was forced to do more commserv*

[Megan (Fishy)]

*interrupts*

We have mandatory service too. 60 hours over all 4 years of HS to graduate. And then 100 more if you're in the suicidal honors program.

[RantingSidekick]

I think the only required community service we have are for people in NHS, or other specific extra-curriculars.

[Megan (Fishy)]

Ohshit, NHS requires service too? >.<'

[RantingSidekick]

Yeah, but it's all group activities, nothing on an individual basis.

[Megan (Fishy)]

Ahh, okay. Good. *can't apply for CSF/NHS until soph year anyways*

[RantingSidekick]

Worth noting:
I'm a fairly selfish person, and there are a lot of people do care only about themselves.

But there are people who have the ability to put a cause before themselves.
And if I didn't want to be like them so much, I would hate them.

*snuggles in to watch Extreme Makeover: Home Edition*

EDIT- Selfish here meaning "vain and self-centered." It's true. V.V

[Hannah]

Um, I hate to be the Christian to come and rain on your parade... But, this is obviously a topic that religion is going to come into play quite a bit.

Here's, basically, what my belief system says about this topic;

Humans have a sin nature. The only way that they could do an absolutely unselfish act was if they were forced to.

Jesus, however, was a human and was perfect. He completed his life without any sins. So, he did not commit a single selfish act. Selfish, here, meaning "vain and self-centered." This would make it a sin, so obviously, if you believe as me, Jesus fulfilled unselfish acts several times.

Now, here comes the exact wording... "A human can".... The Bible says that there will not be another Messiah, and since humans have a sin nature, I don't believe they can. I believe that they could... Er, one could.

Unless forced to, of course.