Conundrums

[Neo]

Originally Posted by Vampyr

Pride is humanity’s ultimate double edged sword. Where would we be without pride? We take pride in ourselves, pride in our brethren, and pride in our homelands. It gives us the strength to stand up for what we believe in, and what makes us get up again if we’ve been kicked down. You can take everything away from a man: his freedom, his family, and his possessions…but you cannot take his pride. On the other hand, pride is probably the root of most every great problem in the world.

Speaking of pride I could make the argument that every action we take is inherently selfish in nature. Helping others in need may seem like a selfless act, but we have to remember that we do those things because it makes us feel good. It makes us feel good to know that we have helped someone else. We wouldn't help people if it felt bad or somehow wrong. Even the act of self-sacrifice can be seen as selfishly motivated. Someone who is about to give their life feels good about what they're doing. They take some joy in knowing they will be remembered for having done something "noble." We do the things we do because of what it does to us on the inside. Why help an old lady cross the street? Because you value her life and don't want her to get injured. But why is that? Where does that wanting come from? It comes from a need to satisfy certain emotional desires, to know you are in the right. It's a subtle distinction but I think it's worth looking at.