Definitely agree with you on the selfish motivation issue. I know I posted this in somebody's journal recently, but I can't remember where so...
I'm in the camp that believes that basically all acts are selfishly motivated. It's just that that selfishness can take different forms. And that doesn't mean always placing your own welfare above somebody else, because emotions also exist. Basically I just have a pet peeve with people who claim that Spike's actions are less significant than Angel's because Spike's motivation was selfish (Buffy) and Angel's was not. And I love Angel. But his motivations were just as selfish - alleviation of guilt, respect from those around him, just to mention a couple. But doing good deeds as a form of penance is just as selfishly motivated as doing good deeds to prove your love.
This is just my own personal belief system, and I totally understand that a lot of people don't feel the same way. It's the school of thought that says, when you do something you feel is good, you feel good about yourself. That's a positive motivator. Wanting that feeling is 'selfish'. Selfish isn't really the right word of course - I just believe even saints are egocentric. Heh, that's just my own personal screwed up ethics!
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Date: 2003-08-06 07:34 pm (UTC)I'm in the camp that believes that basically all acts are selfishly motivated. It's just that that selfishness can take different forms. And that doesn't mean always placing your own welfare above somebody else, because emotions also exist. Basically I just have a pet peeve with people who claim that Spike's actions are less significant than Angel's because Spike's motivation was selfish (Buffy) and Angel's was not. And I love Angel. But his motivations were just as selfish - alleviation of guilt, respect from those around him, just to mention a couple. But doing good deeds as a form of penance is just as selfishly motivated as doing good deeds to prove your love.
This is just my own personal belief system, and I totally understand that a lot of people don't feel the same way. It's the school of thought that says, when you do something you feel is good, you feel good about yourself. That's a positive motivator. Wanting that feeling is 'selfish'. Selfish isn't really the right word of course - I just believe even saints are egocentric. Heh, that's just my own personal screwed up ethics!