People only do good things for selfish reasons.

Your argument: "No one does anything purely because it is good or "the right thing to do. "Someone apologizes to someone else for doing something wrong. Explain this scenario. Why else would the person apologize? Lifeguard point. A lifeguard saving someone does make it good because they wouldn't want someone's death on their conscience. They are saving people because it is both their job and because it's good. If a lifeguard saves someone just because it's their job, In other words if they were off the clock and not on lifeguard duty, And they see a person drowning and decide not to save them, Well that's pretty messed up and heartless. I would hope not all lifeguards are like that. What about the case for someone who isn't a lifeguard but knows how to swim, And they save a person from drowning? Firefighters do not save people from burning buildings because it is good, They are only doing it because it is their job. Similar to lifeguards, Is that true as well? "If a man saves a child from a burning building, But tells no one about it, It is still a selfish act as he is doing it to keep the child's death off of his conscience. " The 'child's death' part confused me because you said the man saved the child. Could you explain? If that man doesn't tell anyone about it, I would see it as a humble act, Not a selfish act. By saving someone's life, People see that as a great thing, So he would rather not receive all that attention and be known and praised as a hero. He would be proud of himself and keep it to himself. The average person would most likely tell everyone that they saved someone from a burning building. My argument: Everyone's different. You can't put everyone in the same box. There are people, Such as myself who would rather give than receive. Although it's nice to receive -- I, Nor some other people don't expect anything in return. I know many people like this. When I do something for my friends or family, I do it out of the kindness of my heart, Not to get something right back. I'm not the type to say "Well I did this for you so you need to do this. " It's good to give to others but you have to make sure you are good yourself. If you give too much into others and forget about yourself, That's not good. Because at the end of the day, You come first. Again, When I say "you come first" that does not correlate to selfishness. DefinitionsSelfish - lacking consideration for others; concerned chiefly with one's own personal profit or pleasure. Selfless - concerned more with the needs and wishes of others than with one's own; unselfish. Selfish vs SelflessI take it that you think being selfless is wrong, Since you see selfish as a good thing, Correct? If I'm off, Please let me know. Because I see selfish is bad and selfless as good, But we may be on the same page, Who knows. Anyhow, It's good to give to others, And you deserve gratification from it. Gratification can simply be just feeling good afterwards, Or a simple "Thank you". If one does a selfless act and feels gratification from it, How does that make them selfish? Are you familiar with the saying "What goes around comes around. " When you do good to people, Good things happen to you. When you do bad things to people, Bad things happen to you. What about parents. It's a parent's job to take care of their children, They are supposed to be selfless. By raising a child correctly and teaching them respect, That's gratification enough to the parent. Back to the 'selfish' aspect, The parent shouldn't expect anything from the child as far as exchange. Does this make parents selfish? If your argument has nothing to do with this and if parents don't count, Then dismiss this point. Good or bad? Your stance is basically: "No matter what you do for others, There is something you are getting out of it. " correct? Is that a bad thing? I understand that you say this isn't a bad thing, And it's a good thing that people do good things for others, But to use the word "selfish" doesn't work. It's not a good thing to be selfish. If someone does good for someone else, What if the person deserves it in return? For example, Jane does something good for Bill. Time passes. Bill decides to do something good for Jane back, Since she has done something good for him and she deserves it. Jane never asked Bill for anything though, Being the type of person Jane is, She doesn't expect anything in return. Your turn.