is it wrong to be greedy and selfishness?
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We have heard many times that man, modern society is self centred. We spend money to entertain ourselves and do not care about saving earth resources or welfare of other animals. We also do not care about those living in the Thrid world countries.
However, we do donate and try to help through charitable efforts but these are occasional helping. Most of our time, the average people and rich people are meddling with our own stuff and thinking of how to be richer.
I am from middle class and i do not have alot of money. When i work in the future, i could get around 2000 or 3000 but i have no idea of taking out 100 dollars to donate to poor and dying in Africa.
I believe $100 donation would not affect me that much and i still can have food and shelter. However, to tell u the truth, i have not thought of donating this $100. Yes, i know that because of this choice, a few poor kids has died again.
Even if i increase the donation to $300, i believe i still can survive relatively ok. The downside is that i will have less saving and if i have emergency cases in the future, then i may not have the money to save myself. However, this is only a small probability right and it has not happen yet. On the other hand, the kids in poor countries are dying pretty sure if aid is not arrived.
The children and the weak is also at risk of being enslaved and captured by criminals in their countries if aid is not issued. All these is certainly happening while i am saving money for a possible emergency that may arise in the future.
After writing so much for these poor people, i still have not decided to donate money of few hundred bucks out of my salary. Is it right for those, like me, and probably most of population to save money for ourselves? Ok, lets not say few hundred bucks. Just $50 ok per month.
Is selfishness ok? Seriously, i tell you, i know that there are thousands of kids and poor adult who are moaning in pain and being beaten right now in the world while i am studying for exam. As it is not my body that is in pain, i do not really care that they are beaten and suffering and I am not taking any action to try to stop this common events. My mind will still be about finding a job and thinking how to chase a girl.
This is selfishness, or self centredness whatever you call it. However, i think we selfish people should still help people in the end. Especially in coming up with good ideas to help solve problems. Fund raising efforts are good but not efficient enough. The key that we selfish people can do is to come up with good ideas, ideas that will spread like wind and truly help the disadvantage people. I know we are lazy people and want to enjoy for ourselves but i think there is more we can contribute while still listening to Jay chou music. -
Its wrong and not wrong at the same time. It depends on idividual priorites i think...
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I think the world now is too corrupted...
So corrupted that I am being influenced also...
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dat's why u must convert to buddhism n stop ur science crab nonsense.
cos craving, hatred n ignorance lead to suffering. -
there is no real wrong.
right or wrong is jsut a human concept used to make sense of the world -
wat's the use? convert liao also still crave for big boobs like you...Originally posted by 798:dat's why u must convert to buddhism n stop ur science crab nonsense.
cos craving, hatred n ignorance lead to suffering. -
u must understand... liking big boobs r part of male's homo as we r milkfeed by women since we were bornt.Originally posted by TehJarVu:wat's the use? convert liao also still crave for big boobs like you...
it's like tellin a mosquito not to sux human blood, but they do so for the sake of survival.
actually my practice still not good enough.
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i quite dissapointed by people who give such answer. its lazy way of not trying to seek truth. Such attitude will affect your life really. Remember, we have to make decisions frequently in life and its tied to our belief system and our sense of right or wrong and our reasoning system.Originally posted by hisoka:there is no real wrong.
right or wrong is jsut a human concept used to make sense of the world -
Buddhism now uses alot of things contributed by science like handphone and laptops. In case you dun noe, some children monks, especially in those not so poor temple, are already using MSN in their temple. This is true.Originally posted by 798:dat's why u must convert to buddhism n stop ur science crab nonsense.
cos craving, hatred n ignorance lead to suffering.
Science and Buddhism have to learn from one another's strength. Anyway, psychology and philosophy is quite similar to Buddhism. One is more western based and the other is Eastern. -
Buddhist monks pray and pray and gain enlightenment. They helped those in the vicinity of their location and kudos for them for helping the poor.
However, they have not come up with ideas to solve the poverty, weak plight. The issue of resources wastage and animal welfare remains debatable.
I think Bill Gates foundation and other foundation and charities has probably help alleivate more suffering by providing more actions that praying Buddhists.
They have to come up with programs, logistics plan to really push the action of helping the unfortunate.
Buddhism still has alot to learn and should really step out of the temples more often. They can learn more by living in the real world. It still has alot of improvement to make. They have to increase their technology, hard science and resource managment.
Tibet monks are still in the era of deciding who is the real Dalai Lama. This is quiet outdated thinking. I do not deny Buddhism has a few useful teachings about life though. i was inspired by it a while before but have also moved on to other subjects other that Buddhism. -
Just a question, are monks allowed to have sex? Pardon me for ignorance.
It quite wrong not to have sex just to attain peacefulness. Sex is necessarily for peacefulness. If you have sex drive, dun waste it. -
Selfishness is an innate quality of mankind.
You spoke of donating a hundred bucks of out three grands to dying children, I see that as spending a hundred bucks to get more conscience fuel. You merely justified that supposing act of charity as a way of doing good for the world, but look deeper... You're just fulfilling another selfish need to feel good...
It's never and not how much you can afford to give out of your salary, it is how much of what you have you're willing to sacrifice.
Cite you an example. An old woman that only earns 200 a month, yet gave her entire 200 to support a cause and to save dying chidren. That is true selflessness. -
There are no hard-and-fast rules in life...... It all depends on the situation. Somethinh usually seen as good may be wrong depending on what the surrounding circumstances are. Hence, greed may be perceived as a bad thing but it may be good if it drives one to excel for instance............. Everything must be viewed in its context ma!
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wif technology has improved rapidly, buddhist monks n followers need to keep up in order to follow the trend for not being outdated n to continue to save sentient beings. but tis have spoilt the buddhist teachings as engaging in luxury activities are never part of the practice.Originally posted by january:Buddhism now uses alot of things contributed by science like handphone and laptops. In case you dun noe, some children monks, especially in those not so poor temple, are already using MSN in their temple. This is true.
Science and Buddhism have to learn from one another's strength. Anyway, psychology and philosophy is quite similar to Buddhism. One is more western based and the other is Eastern.
one hand or another is the depend on how one define it.
ok, let's get back to topic! using buddhism quote of 'Craving and Ignorance are Causes of Suffering" is applicable in tis case. afterall, we are born wif nothing and will die wif nothing.
sometime being greedy n selfishness do not help urself as when u r in time of need, who do u seek help to? -
selfish and selfless should not be seen as discrete case. we cannot say, you are selfish or you are not. real life consists of continous range. its matters if you are donating 500 or 100 or 10 dollars. 500 is 50 times more than 10 dollars.Originally posted by Detached:Selfishness is an innate quality of mankind.
You spoke of donating a hundred bucks of out three grands to dying children, I see that as spending a hundred bucks to get more conscience fuel. You merely justified that supposing act of charity as a way of doing good for the world, but look deeper... You're just fulfilling another selfish need to feel good...
It's never and not how much you can afford to give out of your salary, it is how much of what you have you're willing to sacrifice.
Cite you an example. An old woman that only earns 200 a month, yet gave her entire 200 to support a cause and to save dying chidren. That is true selflessness.
i quite selfish actually. i quite ignorant of others suffering but i like to help by talking. i dun like to help by carrying boxes. -
but you are closing your mind off from a possible truth too.Originally posted by january:i quite dissapointed by people who give such answer. its lazy way of not trying to seek truth. Such attitude will affect your life really. Remember, we have to make decisions frequently in life and its tied to our belief system and our sense of right or wrong and our reasoning system.
you are not seeking to find out if what i said is true. are you being lazy?
believing there is no real right or wrong is a belief system and a sense of right and wrong. it is a reasoning framework.
can you accept that it is an idea and seek to see if its the truth? can you accept that it is a possible truth? -
January, at first I thought this was a good-natured post by you. But then again, I see you are still you. Being close-minded is one thing, but to accuse others of that and yet be guilty yourself of being close-minded is another thing.
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our mind is not static. we constantly keeping and changing our beliefs now and then. Me being closed minded? cannot be bah. the mind changes as time passes. sometimes it stay the same belief though.Originally posted by SumOne:January, at first I thought this was a good-natured post by you. But then again, I see you are still you. Being close-minded is one thing, but to accuse others of that and yet be guilty yourself of being close-minded is another thing.
me accusing of others? that is too harsh a word. but i can get what u mean when i use the phrase "i am quite dissapointed blar blar".
remember words are free, particularly on the internet. So dun be too surprised when meaning gets misintrepreted. -
since you ask me if i am seeking to find out if what you say is true, then are you seeking out if what i said is true also?Originally posted by hisoka:but you are closing your mind off from a possible truth too.
you are not seeking to find out if what i said is true. are you being lazy?
believing there is no real right or wrong is a belief system and a sense of right and wrong. it is a reasoning framework.
can you accept that it is an idea and seek to see if its the truth? can you accept that it is a possible truth? -
What is good natured? is it to be selfish or not? i think i am selfish and i would not say it is wrong. I willing to help though but probably i will relax in my life more that i help others or save the world.Originally posted by SumOne:January, at first I thought this was a good-natured post by you. But then again, I see you are still you. Being close-minded is one thing, but to accuse others of that and yet be guilty yourself of being close-minded is another thing.
i prefer to teach people methods to use less resources in the world by convincing them that alot of the middle to luxury goods in the world can be sacrificed.
Lets go for activities and hobbies that involves less resources. this are the ways of examples i try to help the world to become better. teach them to be more wise in managing their life while maintaining our happiness also.
For the poverty type, what we can do is to see more discovery channels and educational channel. they are interesting to watch and give you more knowledge about how we can help poor.
can you see?? these are the ways that i mean when i say i willing to help the world.
i dun understand the meaning of me being close minded or what. Lets not play the guilty game. -
another advice of saving resources and saving ur money.
Dun hold wedding ceremony. it uses so much money and resources and it goes mainly in the pocket of bussinessman.
by saving these resources, you also indirectly reducing earth limited resources. it would not make you more happier if you have a wedding ceremony. it only makes your ego happy.
if you want your wife to be happy. just spend more time with her. see? -
youa re the one who says its lazy not to find out the truth.Originally posted by january:since you ask me if i am seeking to find out if what you say is true, then are you seeking out if what i said is true also?
whether i do the same or not is immaterial.but i'll answer the question anyway. so far i haven't come across a true right or wrong. so with nothing that remotely stands against my theory, i take it as the "truth" for now.
if i find something wrong with it or some other "truth" i will have to evaluate it. -
It is really up to you to be greedy or selfish.
But the whole world needs more generosity... Am I right?
Start your generosity beginning with people around you.. whether in kind or with words.