I’m hardly the most charitable or selfless guy, but this is an interesting article from NYT: Charity is a basic human pleasure?
I’m hardly the most charitable or selfless guy, but this is an interesting article from NYT: Charity is a basic human pleasure?
I actually think the article is interesting but in what it reveals.
I think it’s awful.
First his basic premise is that emotions like contentment, feeling good or an unidentified and, by his articles admission, unidentifiable happiness should be the measure of success in life.
Then his view of man is that of the worker bee, who follows the instructions of some higher power and works day in and day out to be satisfied with the fact that they are serving the good of the hive. And goes on to say that while altruism is the ideal man is never able to achieve it because he evilly feels pleasure from even his most noble sacrifice.
Finally if the only way to be virtuous and happy is through serving the misery of others, does that mean that you squeal with glee when you learn of a disaster like an earthquake, because finally you can be virtuous. I mean even this payoff line, “so many afflicted people, and so much benefit to us if we try to help them.” Notice not only is it great that we live in a time of so much need and squalor, but note that we can only “try” and help them, as in the end man is only an insect doomed to a life of suffering. Why talk of eliminating suffering when so many good times can come from wallowing in it?
I think the purpose in life is to seek happiness, but it’s not a magic or mystical primary, it’s the state of non-contradictory joy that comes from the achievement of your values. Where I am talking about rational values, those that support and enhance your life, they are all integrated and none of them is in conflict.
Thanks, I actually enjoyed seeing that article.