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Politics and Activism

The Selfishness Of Charity

Is there anything wrong with doing good to feel good?

Madison Braybrooke

Jul 25, 2016

Dickinson College

257

Forbes

Very rarely do the words "selfish" and "charity" appear close together. Charity is the voluntary giving of help. How could it be selfish?

An elderly woman is having trouble crossing the road. You see her and offer her a hand. Once both of you reach the safety of the sidewalk, you walk away with a smile on your face and she walks away with one as well. She needed the help and you volunteered. But who did you perform the act for? Yourself or the old woman?

The truth is, people who perform acts of charity tend to walk away feeling good. Once they've experienced that good feeling in their heart, they don't question what their actions should be when another act of charity presents itself. It feels good to do good. Performing a charitable act can make you feel good about yourself. It is selfish in this way. A lot of people say charitable actions should always be selfless, but what's wrong with doing good to feel good?

If someone could choose between eating a banana split and helping a hurt puppy, he or she is going to help the hurt puppy because it feels better.

Good people will feel good doing good things. Bad people will not. Be selfish when it comes to charity. Give and receive. Charity isn't about selflessness, it's about character. It's about doing what feels right and what is good for yourself and others.

Charity can be selfish, but I can't help feeling that it should be occasionally. Do things that make you and others feel good. The act of helping in order to feel happy and good should not be looked down on. Rather it should be a telling sign of good people doing good things.

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The Selfishness Of Charity

Is there anything wrong with doing good to feel good?

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The struggles of having an RBF are all too real

1. People asking if you're mad at them.

2. Those people who hand out flyers don't always try to stop you.

3. Creepy guys telling you to smile.

4. "I thought you were a bitch when I first met you."

5. People telling you you'd be "so much prettier if you smiled."

6. Doing your makeup and looking great, which somehow intensifies the bitch face.

7. Regularly explaining "it's just my face."

We all go through certain stages when we have a crush, Tina just explains it better.

That moment that someone you never looked twice at suddenly makes you do a double take out of no where.

But you can't have a crush, that's outrageous. It's all in your head.

Because you don't have a crush, there's no reason to tell anyone about anything. Right?

But then they do something irresistible and you start to lose it.

Now accepting the fact you have a crush, you have to keep it under control.

Then there's the part where you tell your friends who will claim they called it.

They'll be excited and cheer you on. That's until they realize that your crush is all you'll be talking about.

Your obsession has become so bad, that your Facebook stalking is getting out of control.

But your friends will try and help move things along any way they can. That doesn't mean it will be any helpful though.

As time goes on, you start having fantasies about the two of you and it's starting to scare you a little.

You can't focus on anything because all your attention is on them and everything they do.

Anybody who comes near your crush is now an enemy, and you are willing to fight for your crush.

When you see them, you act like an idiot. Trying to hide your feelings may not be as discrete as you think.

Keeping your feelings inside will start to be harder and harder until you can't keep it inside anymore.

Who knows, maybe it will work out? Take a chance.

Everybody hurts sometimes.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

What about those of us who don't do it all in four years?

1. You feel like an elder.

2. You may feel lonely.

3. Senioritis is more real than ever.

4. You may feel a little down sometimes.

5. Fear of missing out won't be as real.

6. You are a college pro.

7. You'll have more free time.

8. You're happy you're still in school.

9. You feel like a guru.

10. You continue to grow.

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