About Selfishness
Ok !!!Generally people say do not be selfish. Do you think altruism is good. I mean some one spends his life for others is good. It is also bad. Let me give you an example :- a person let us take his name as "Karna" spends his whole time for others in the village. Karna is an influential person.There is a reputed college in that village.Only one seat is available.His son wants to get into a college. Another person "Ram" who is a best friend of Karna comes to karna and asks him to help by providing that seat to his son. Karna agrees and gets that seat for Ram's son. Consider both his son and ram son scored almost equal marks.The entire village appreciates Karna. Consider Karna is a humble person who does not do things for appreciation. Do you think he must be appreciable ? no absolutely not. Because he has betrayed his son , family and himself and future generation of him etc... in the name of altruism. Selfishness is needed for a human being and he should get what he wants. Do not encourage people who do things for others without considering him and his family. If you come across such person please suggest or advice him to first take care of his people and then ask him to consider others.
Ok !!!Generally people say do not be selfish. Do you think altruism is good. I mean some one spends his life for others is good. It is also bad. Let me give you an example :- a person let us take his name as "Karna" spends his whole time for others in the village. Karna is an influential person.There is a reputed college in that village.Only one seat is available.His son wants to get into a college. Another person "Ram" who is a best friend of Karna comes to karna and asks him to help by providing that seat to his son. Karna agrees and gets that seat for Ram's son. Consider both his son and ram son scored almost equal marks.The entire village appreciates Karna. Consider Karna is a humble person who does not do things for appreciation. Do you think he must be appreciable ? no absolutely not. Because he has betrayed his son , family and himself and future generation of him etc... in the name of altruism. Selfishness is needed for a human being and he should get what he wants. Do not encourage people who do things for others without considering him and his family. If you come across such person please suggest or advice him to first take care of his people and then ask him to consider others.
5 comments:
i completely agree with u jitu, a person should take care of those who r directly dependent on him, or her and den should think of helping others.
I liked ur posting jitu, keep going!!!
I do not agree completely... sometimes if someones need is greater and urgent than that of someone of your family... you shud reconsider your opinion... i think we shud thnk wrt future... foresee d implications... and then take an action... :)
I don't agree with you jithu...Because to keep ourselves happy we want more n more from life which can never be fulfilled completely.While thinking about others happiness,will give u immense satisfaction.Thus selfishness is not needed :)
Jithu,
What you have said is basically a conflict between Virtue (selfessness/sacrifice) and Duty(family first). In my humble opinion, virtue and duty are two integral parts of Dharma. And more than being dutiful or virtuous, I think it is imperative for a good man to tread the path of Dharma, even if it means he is neglecting his duty or not being virtuous, as Krishna Paramatma says.
Also, here is a confusion I myself have - is being virtuous our duty or is being dutiful a virtue? From a trivial view-point, it appears as if duty first, virtue next, but I dont think it is that simple. In the olden days, when people were a lot more Dharmic, the saying - "being virtuous is man's duty" held good. Nowadays though, I think the saying "being dutiful is a virtue" holds more relevance since hardly anyone does his/her duty with sincerity and commitment.
In Mahabharata, Karna, despite being a righteous, virtuous and dutiful person, he always upheld Dharma above all else -
1. When he sided with Duryodhana despite knowing the Kaurava's evil ways, he was practising Kshatriya Dharma and Dharma to a friend (loyalty).
2. When Karna donated his Kavacha and Kundala to Lord Indra, again, despite knowing it would lead to his death, he does so, sticking to his Dharma of charity (which, incidentally, happened to be a virtue).
3. Also, Karna, though being sincere to Duryodhana and a true Kshatriya, did a lot of things which indirectly benefited the Pandavas because he knew Dharma was on the Pandavas' side.
Lastly, though the topic you raised is very valid, the example you gave is not - whether the "Karna" in your story helps his friend "Ram" get a seat or gets his son the seat, he is neither being virtuous nor being dutiful because he is using his influence to get the seat for either son. Either son should get his seat purely based on merit, and not on any influence, thereby, annulling his virtue or duty, whichever be the case. If they have scored equal marks, then their additional attributes should be taken into account (like special talents, or marks in Maths for an Engg seat, etc.). So "Karna", whether he gets his own son a seat or his friend's son a seat, he will neither be dutiful nor virtuous since he will be practising Adharma. :)
I know I might've confused everyone (including myself) with this explanation using my own interpretation (which might be wrong), but this adds another perspective, doesn't it?
Lol! I just realized that my comment is bigger than Jithu's post!
Sorry folks. :D
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