Weekly Short-Shots

Fionn Ly1) I believe that mnaiknd’s instinctual greed for power, wealth, and survival disproves the belief that humans are naturally altruistic, and instead, respond to specific incentives. Although it would be gratifying to perform a kind deed for those in distress, I don’t believe that people perform these actions out of pure desire to do so, but rather because of an underlying motivation, whether it is beneficial towards oneself, or to simply shake the feeling of remorse. If no conditions in which advantage is guaranteed towards one self, it is highly likely that we would not sacrifice another precious second even thinking about the situation, such as walking through the streets downtown, and passing by a number of homeless people. As mentioned previously, it should be taken into account that those who do spare their time or money on something or someone may be doing so to feel less guilty for references. It would be difficult to fall asleep if you reflect on how you passed by the homeless without even considering donating.2) It does not matter why someone performs a kind act, because the other person would have benefitted from someone’s kindness nonetheless. This person will be advantaged from something you provided them with, whether your motivation was strictly for gratification or “just because”. For example, if the reason why you gave five dollars away to a homeless man was because you pitied him, he would still be better off with the money provided, as he would have warm food for the night. The motivation behind performing kind acts, assuming that nothing is expected in return, should not be questioned, as it strengthens the community and sets a positive example for future generations.