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Maybe it's just a matter of perspective. Doing things to be selfless or altruistic has nothing to do with external validation, reward, or appreciation, in my e
by warent 6y ago
Maybe it's just a matter of perspective. Doing things to be selfless or altruistic has nothing to do with external validation, reward, or appreciation, in my experience of it. Appreciation and reward have little effect because people generally appreciate the wrong things so why care? (e.g. just look at the ridiculous low brow unenlightened worship in pop culture). Saying "I make a good amount of money" makes people get all excited and happy for you, but doesnt me feel much at all, actually dwelling on it makes me feel hollow. Contrast to "I might be leaving the world a little bit better than it was when I found it" and that fills me right up, and it's fine if people roll their eyes, don't get it, or don't care.
- ryandrake 6y agoFewer and fewer people value sharing and selflessness and teach it to their kids, and more and more are teaching that the world is a giant capitalist slugfest and you need to take what you can. When I was a kid my parents (like a lot of us) taught me to share and play fair and give others their turns. Not so much of this is in vogue anymore. I'll never forget once taking my kid to the park before corona and observing this directly. A little kid (4 or 5 or so) was crying to his mom within earshot. He was upset that he got off the swingset and then some other kid got on it. This could have been a teachable moment, but instead the mom said something to the effect of "You have to stay on it and keep it for yourself! Next time you want to take a break, call me over and I'll sit on the swing until you're ready to play on it again." This whole attitude is everywhere now. You see it in politics, you see it at work, you see it in the grocery store.