Woman ‘dehumanised’ by viral TikTok filmed without her consent

Re:Woman ‘dehumanised’ by viral TikTok filmed without her co... by andai on Thursday July 14, 2022 @10:08AM (#32096283)

I remember wondering, when I first heard about altruism, whether I was actually an altruist. If I feel good when I do something good for someone, am I not just an egoist who's wired differently? True altruism would be going against what feels good, because I know it to be right.

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Re:Woman ‘dehumanised’ by viral TikTok filmed without her co... by unsupp0rted on Thursday July 14, 2022 @11:21AM (#32097158)

Even then it's not true altruism because you're doing it because you know it to be right and you (selfishly?) want to be the kind of person who does the right thing.

I don't think it's possible for apes who evolved and outcompeted other apes in the endeavor to become the dominant species on a planet to be truly altruistic. At least not without a lot more cultural, social, and possibly biological evolution, if ever.

Doesn't matter though. What difference does it make how "true" one's altruism is?

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Re:Woman ‘dehumanised’ by viral TikTok filmed without her co... by kelnos on Thursday July 14, 2022 @06:34PM (#32102210)

I think this is a classic philosophical problem. Unless you are a philosopher, though, I don't think it really matters all that much. The bottom line is that you are making a sacrifice for someone else, and that you aren't involving other people in it.

Doing good for others should feel good! And if that internal reaction helps us want to continue doing good for others, then that's also a good thing.

I think also we should be less concerned about labeling ourselves this way. I would not try to make "altruist" a part of my identity (or "egoist", for that matter). You are just someone who does good things for others, and -- incidentally -- that makes you feel good. That should be enough.

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Re:Woman ‘dehumanised’ by viral TikTok filmed without her co... by ALittleLight on Thursday July 14, 2022 @12:06PM (#32097843)

I think you are an altruist if you feel good for sacrificing to helping others. That good feeling will motivate you to sacrifice to help others and sacrificing to help others is what an altruist is.

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