Saturday, January 10, 2004
Extraordinary Unselfishness
...
Extraordinary Unselfishness
so, just what qualifies as extraordinary unselfishness?
obviously, it's different for each individual.
(as well as for each recipient of the unselfishness).
for one person, an act of extraordinary unselfishness
might be as simple as, for the first time in their life,
taking the initiative to wash the dishes after dinner.
(instead of letting their long-suffering spouse do it,
yet again).
for another person, it might be as complicated as
admitting that they have been wrong about something
that they have held a grudge about for decades, and
in the interim, behaved spitefully.
for yet another person, it might involve something
as obvious as buying a thoughtful present.
of course, giving away large quantities of either your
possessions or your monetary wealth, is, by far, the
easiest way to be unselfish.
however, for that precise reason, it is often the
least appreciated unselfishness. at least as it applies
to appreciating the unselfish act. but that's not
what should be important about the unselfish act, is it?
anyway, the whole point is to try to help someone else
experience some additional happiness.
to try to help someone else be happier for a good reason.
an unselfish reason.
thinking only of that other person's well-being and not
about how your unselfishness might minimally affect you,
either positively or negatively.
of course, the cosmic truth is that, by being unselfish,
you will experience a net positive gain overall.
in many ways.
and probably many-fold.
but that should not be your primary motivation. *
if it is, it simply won't work.
* (or even your secondary motivation).
why? because it's really just more selfishness. duh.
not that's there's anything wrong with being selfish.
you have to be somewhat selfish. it's wise to be.
it's just that...
being truly unselfish is far more rewarding.
mind you, i'm mostly guessing here.
i have much more experience being selfish than unselfish.
but what experience i DO have in both of these areas
is VERY convincing.
-$Zero... ThankYouForReading...
ThisFreeBlog... (PunchlinesAreExtra)...
care to comment?
Extraordinary Unselfishness
so, just what qualifies as extraordinary unselfishness?
obviously, it's different for each individual.
(as well as for each recipient of the unselfishness).
for one person, an act of extraordinary unselfishness
might be as simple as, for the first time in their life,
taking the initiative to wash the dishes after dinner.
(instead of letting their long-suffering spouse do it,
yet again).
for another person, it might be as complicated as
admitting that they have been wrong about something
that they have held a grudge about for decades, and
in the interim, behaved spitefully.
for yet another person, it might involve something
as obvious as buying a thoughtful present.
of course, giving away large quantities of either your
possessions or your monetary wealth, is, by far, the
easiest way to be unselfish.
however, for that precise reason, it is often the
least appreciated unselfishness. at least as it applies
to appreciating the unselfish act. but that's not
what should be important about the unselfish act, is it?
anyway, the whole point is to try to help someone else
experience some additional happiness.
to try to help someone else be happier for a good reason.
an unselfish reason.
thinking only of that other person's well-being and not
about how your unselfishness might minimally affect you,
either positively or negatively.
of course, the cosmic truth is that, by being unselfish,
you will experience a net positive gain overall.
in many ways.
and probably many-fold.
but that should not be your primary motivation. *
if it is, it simply won't work.
* (or even your secondary motivation).
why? because it's really just more selfishness. duh.
not that's there's anything wrong with being selfish.
you have to be somewhat selfish. it's wise to be.
it's just that...
being truly unselfish is far more rewarding.
mind you, i'm mostly guessing here.
i have much more experience being selfish than unselfish.
but what experience i DO have in both of these areas
is VERY convincing.
-$Zero... ThankYouForReading...
ThisFreeBlog... (PunchlinesAreExtra)...
care to comment?
