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For My World or The World?

Do we do what we do for selfish gain or the greater good?

When we do things or fight for things in our world are we fighting for the greater good or just for ourselves. Doing things for the world around you (THE world) would be considered utilitarianism. Utilitarianism is the doctrine that actions are right if they are useful or for the benefit of the majority. The doctrine that an action is right insofar as it promotes happiness, and that the greatest happiness of the greatest number should be the guiding principle of conduct. This sounds like something everyone should be using in everyday life.

People that practice utilitarianism are doing things for the greater part of the people rather than for just themselves. I would like you to think about something for a moment: have you ever done something for no gain whatsoever, just to help another or everyone else as opposed to yourself? Most people would say “yes!” While it is very reputable that you or someone around you has been a so- called utilitarianist, you will always get SOMETHING back when you give. You never are truly left empty, we know this because whenever we put others before ourselves we gain the satisfaction that we helped someone, or we gain joy from the happiness of the other, maybe we gain a friend. One may think that it is impossible to always gain especially when you always give and feel like in fact you are losing. You can gain anger, disappointment, and pain when you give. The way someone can react can make you feel like your works were for nothing or that they were not good enough. Everyone has felt this way before at some point in time.

So, I would like you to think about something maybe new to you. Subconsciously, you are always trying or will gain from a selfless act. In most cases this will make you gain something good, even as small as the satisfaction that you did something good for others.  Satisfaction itself is a reward, just like getting a gift would be but, do you ever lowkey do something nice to gain in return? Although, this act may benefit another and may seem selfless is it benefitting you?

Some believe the phrase “What goes around, comes around.” When you are helping someone pay their rent, driving them to their car, carrying their bags, you may doing it for the future ‘come around’ pursae. Yet, you count this as ‘selfless’ and for ‘the greater good’. I am not going to lie, I am a very selfless person and want others to have the best first but I have in the far past done things that were very nice with alternative motives because I knew the outcome I would get from doing the act. This was about middle school when I realized I was doing good things for the ‘come around’ for a short period of time so I stopped. These act would no longer be a selfless act but a selfish act because of my return.

Let’s bring up soup kitchens. On Thanksgiving many people from primarily churches serve in soup kitchens to help the less fortunate eat a good meal with others. This looks very good to others (makes you look better), looks good on a resume (makes you possibly get a job because of your heart), and makes you feel good about yourself (giving you joy and satisfaction). Give/ gain, give/ gain. In closing, I think that utilitarianism is a great thought but unobtainable considering alterior motives and inevitable reward.

posting for Sarah Beth Glover