Can An Act Ever Be Truly Selfless?

Thank you ever so

A few years ago, my friend, let's call him Pedro just in case he doesn't want to be named, decided to ask my Classics lecturer this philosophical question. Naturally, my lecturer laughed at him and moved on with the class. However, ever since then I have wondered. Can an act be truly selfless?

Before we start, let's see what the internet thinks:

• Judith Lichtenberg writing for the New York Times gives a basic yes and no buried within an array of examples and big words which make the argument seem so much weightier than it is.
• Sam Hewitt from High Wycombe gives a resounding no and offers the accompanying guilt of not committing a heroic act as a rather pessimistic behaviourist justification.
• A quote from Jonathan Birch within a BBC article strangely centred on animals with little genetic relation to humans says that 'psychological altruism' - selfless actions motivated by a concern for others - is a legitimate human trait.

So basically, nobody really knows. Perfect for the artistic license invested in me as a hobbyist blogger!

Let's get into some examples.

A Fool In Love

Everyone could probably think of an example of someone who has fallen helplessly in love with another and is always doing things for them. Be it cleaning, cooking, or a hair-raising sum spent on gifts, they always seem to keep giving. Let's use the name, Enrique for this example.

Enrique is a family man, he has a wife and two daughters, all with similarly stereotypical Spanish names. He cooks his wife breakfast-in-bed every Sunday, takes the kids to all of their music lessons and after-school clubs, and he recently cancelled his membership to the local golf club so that he could start saving for their first holiday together as a family. He is most certainly punching above his weight and has been with his wife for ten years after he interned at the accountancy firm she was working for at the time.

Things to consider:

• Enrique is personally benefiting from each good deed in the sense that he would naturally feel like he is a better person upon their conclusion.
• Anything good he does for his wife and children would improve his relationship with them.

However:

• If Enrique has been doing these things for 10 years, have they become second nature to him? Has the deed, no doubt initially driven by personal satisfaction and a desire to impress, become selfless due to its countless repetition as part of his routine.

Does a giver become selfless because they are simply accustomed to giving?

The Brave Hero

Much like any Hollywood movie, this example is fairly self-explanatory. 

Clara sees a man who has fallen into the train track. In a heartbeat she jumps down and pulls him to safety. Clara did not recall thinking before she acted, "it was all a blur"... cue dramatic cutscene.

Is this selfless?

I would argue, no. As Sam Hewitt from High Wycombe would so eloquently explain it, Clara put herself in danger because she did not want to see the man get hurt. How could that possibly be selfless? Not to mention, the intense emotion and later popularity from saving the man from such danger would no doubt have greatly benefited Clara.

Does the fact that she saved the man without thinking make it selfless? Does thinking about such an act prior to committing it automatically make it selfish? If Clara were to save someone again, would that not be because she enjoyed it so much, especially the avoidance of guilt, the first time?

The Grinning Philanthropist

Last but not least, charity.

I must admit, I have a few bug bears when it comes to celebrities and their charitable undertakings. The likes of Leonardo DiCaprio or Bill Gates are filthy rich. They give because they have more money than they need. As well as this, the money they do give no doubt makes them feel better about themselves alongside boosting their chances in a popularity contest. Take Nike's sudden return to grace after their contributions during this pandemic for example, I have no doubt they simply hired a better PR leader.

Does this mean you have to give more than you can afford in order to be selfless? Is it necessary for you to give and another benefit in order for an act to even be considered in the category of selflessness? When someone says they give because they like to give, does that not make them selfish?

Conclusion

I do not believe there is such thing as a selfless act. Enrique likes himself better when he gives, Clara gets a kick out of saving people and not having to watch them suffer, Bill and Leo are just good examples of what you should do if you have money. If you do something good then you benefit from it in some way, simple as that. If anything, the more selfless you think you are, the more selfish you become. In the words of the great Admiral Ackbar. It's a trap.

So what do you think? I sure hope I have left enough rhetorical questions to tickle your interest.

Stay Safe.