Is it still a good deed, if you do it for your own satisfaction?

[Savino]

Example.. Today I seen this guy on the boulevard between oncoming and incoming traffic on the highway at the edge of the city, where there is a light.  Anyways, he had a sign saying, "Traveling, and hungry... Help??"  I looked him over, he was either really a traveler on hard times, or a very dedicated con artist.  Worn out shoes and clothes, dirty, backpack with sleep roll on the back, bottle of water hanging from hip, a couple sweaters tied around his waist, ect, ect..

I drove past.  Though, a few minutes later I thought, well maybe I should have helped him, I can afford it...  So I looped back around, and came up to him again, called him over, and gave him a $20 bill, he seemed like it was the best thing ever, he almost started crying it looked like lol, "FUUUUCK YEAH MAN!  This is a real supper tonight!"  He started to walk away, I called him back, asked him if he smoked, he said yeah, so I gave him about 5 cigarettes too, and then I asked again, "do you smoke?"  making the universal sign of somebody puffing on a joint.  Again, "Fuck yeah man."  So I gave him this little vial with like .5 of bud left in it I had left over from the day.  I probably made this fuckers week with my generosity.

Here's the thing.  I don't really give 2 shits if that guy went to bed cold and hungry or not, sure I can empathize with the situation, and even feel sorry for him.  Yet, I really don't care, he's some random fucker ill never see again.  I didn't go back because I wanted to help the guy out, not really... I went back because I thought, "Hey, if I help that guy, I can feel good because I did something good for somebody else!"

His satisfaction meant nothing to me, only my own...

Is that still a good deed?  Does that make me a bad person?

[starvingniglet]

Does that make me a bad person?

No, but:

he almost started crying it looked like lol, "FUUUUCK YEAH MAN!  This is a real supper tonight!"

More like "FUUUUCK YEAH MAN!  I can get a 20 rock tonight!"

[Savino]

Does that make me a bad person?

No, but:

he almost started crying it looked like lol, "FUUUUCK YEAH MAN!  This is a real supper tonight!"

More like "FUUUUCK YEAH MAN!  I can get a 20 rock tonight!"

I'm not so sure.  I have seen these people around quite a bit..  You can tell the rock heads from a mile away, here, they are 95% Indians with long hair and rough looking.  Like I said, I saw him once for a good 20 seconds at the light, then I came back and seen him again for a bit.  I really think this guy was some type of drifter.   going from town to town trying to find a place or whatever.  His clothes, attitude, everything led me to think he was the real deal.  Though, like I said, the rock heads can get crafty, if they need to...  Could be I was fooled.  This is all besides the point though.

I totally defeated my own purpose, I did it to feel good, but now I am wondering if doing THAT, makes it a bad action in itself, because it was truly selfish if you wanna get down to it.  I did it for ME, so I could feel like a stand up guy. Fuck the hungry drifter really...

[starvingniglet]

There are a lot worse things to get a good feeling from, than helping someone.....

[FON]

I don't think acting out of self-interest automatically disqualifies an action from being 'good'. I'd argue that it at least partially depends on your perspective on morality and ethics. For example, consequentialist theories like utilitarianism evaluate a particular action based on the consequences, whereas theories like virtue ethics might only consider an action to be good if it was done with virtuous intentions. The former would likely consider your actions to be 'good' due to the positive outcomes, while the latter would likely consider it to be 'bad' due to the selfish motivation behind the act.

Although I am somewhat conflating 'good' with 'ethical'.

[Savino]

I don't think acting out of self-interest automatically disqualifies an action from being 'good'. I'd argue that it at least partially depends on your perspective on morality and ethics. For example, consequentialist theories like utilitarianism evaluate a particular action based on the consequences, whereas theories like virtue ethics might only consider an action to be good if it was done with virtuous intentions. The former would likely consider your actions to be 'good' due to the positive outcomes, while the latter would likely consider it to be 'bad' due to the selfish motivation behind the act.

Although I am somewhat conflating 'good' with 'ethical'.

If I had hit that guy on the highway with my car, and knew I could get away with his death for sure, I wouldn't stop to help, I would go, forget it, and continue my life the exact same.
The only reason I did this "good deed" as far as I can tell, was to get some type of "kick" out of it.  I can get these kicks from manipulating and hurting people, or helping them in some way, I don't know what it is exactly.  However the nature of it all makes me wonder what type of person I really am.   Sure, giving this guy enough cash and weed, to get baked, grab a huge MDonalds meal, and have a smoke on the walk to the next town and dismal adventure made me feel good... Yet, had there been a puddle of water on the curb, on another day, driving through it fast and soaking him to the bone would have satisfied me just as much I think..
Help?

[Evan]

Deed is not good, but is simply a deed. Intention matters as much as action, but if action is taken for own satisfaction this does not automatically make said action bad, or good. Simply self-serving. Sometimes serving oneself is good, sometimes it is bad. But it is always self-serving.

[Arnox]

Deed is not good, but is simply a deed. Intention matters as much as action, but if action is taken for own satisfaction this does not automatically make said action bad, or good. Simply self-serving. Sometimes serving oneself is good, sometimes it is bad. But it is always self-serving.

Pretty much this. However, sometimes, if you keep helping people, you'll begin to want to do it for them instead of yourself. You begin to connect with them.

[Idiosyncrasy]

I have a hard time helping beggars without learning their story first.  I hope he had a better story than, "I just feel like travelling around and living off the land (AKA living off of other people's hard work) instead of being productive and keeping a job.  Can't work for the man, man."

Yes, I'm bitter, but I have helped people after talking with them and learning their story first.

[Zanick]

If we take as granted that we're all fundamentally selfish, I think that worrying too much about the motivations of others is just paranoia. It doesn't really matter unless it affects me, by fulfilling an ulterior motive or by contributing to an agenda which is contrary to my sensibilities. As long as it doesn't bite you in the ass, why not take what you can get?

[RestStop]

Ehh, It can be be argued to death. You did someone a favor regardless of the context, made the world a slightly better place at the end of the day.

[baby raper]

if you do something good you deserve to feel good.

[Max Headroom]

I don't go out of my way to do good deeds but if I see the opportunity I pursue it. Sometimes when I get down in the dumps I go for walks with no purpose but to try to stop being so inwardly focused and just walking and observing the world, sometimes I see homeless guys or people with donation bins and give 5 dollars and feel a little better. Just letting life go by and not being cynical.

[aldra]

yeah, but it's not selfless. the motivation doesn't override the outcome.

[Really Awesome Nickname]

I guess as long as that someone else is making a self-profitable use of your self-purposed use of him or her, It's pretty much alright. I mean, if it is a mutual win, then isn't that double satisfaction? you got what you wanted and helped someone else get what they wanted. Which is pretty much what trade is based on. You have something somebody else wants, you swap it from something of theirs that you want.