FeuFollet Posted September 19, 2014 Posted September 19, 2014 Today, I was approached by a woman begging for change. She was missing teeth, her skin was saddle-leather with wrinkles. She began to tell me her story. She hadn't eaten in days. She was a poor student. I told her I didn't care. I gave her a dollar and I walked away. I felt absolutely nothing, not even the smug moral satisfaction that comes with doing things like that. I think I prefer my compassion that way.
Lernaean_Hydra Posted September 19, 2014 Posted September 19, 2014 That wasn't compassion, that was what could loosely be described as benevolence or perhaps generosity I guess but not compassion. Which is fine. You're not obligated to feel any type of way toward perfect strangers.
Author FeuFollet Posted September 19, 2014 Author Posted September 19, 2014 Oh, thank you for the correction. Was that out of benevolence or compassion?
todreaminblue Posted September 19, 2014 Posted September 19, 2014 Oh, thank you for the correction. Was that out of benevolence or compassion? what do you feel it was.....deb
Ronni_W Posted September 19, 2014 Posted September 19, 2014 I'm not sure the point of the original post? FeuFollet, you paid someone a dollar to satisfy your want/need/desire for her to get out of your face. Nothing wrong with a purely self-interested act. But your action doesn't seem to have brought you the relief you'd expected or hoped for...otherwise it would not be on your mind enough for you to feel compelled to post about it. "Smug moral satisfaction", however derived, comes from superiority/arrogance. But donations given from that mindset can buy the same things as money given from a different place within oneself...in the end, you did help. Good for you!
JamesM Posted September 19, 2014 Posted September 19, 2014 Actually in some ways your giving was more selfless than most. Everyone almost always gives for personal satisfaction. We give so we can feel good that we helped someone. We feel slighted if the person doesn't appreciate it, because we want them to appreciate what we did for them. On a Friends episode, Joey challenges Phoebe to come up with a selfless act of charity. She never does. Why? Because every act of charity is based on how we will feel. Your act of charity was not about you but only about her. She may have received something from the gift, but you appear to not have gotten the satisfaction of giving it.
FitChick Posted September 22, 2014 Posted September 22, 2014 She was a poor student? Student of what?
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