Volunteer Work

I am skeptical that anyone enjoys "volunteering". I think people only do this as a resume builder or to fake being a good person.

There is a reason community service is essentially the same thing and that is a form of punishment for committing a crime.

There is a reason community service is essentially the same thing and that is a form of punishment for committing a crime.

This is a faulty analogy. Community service is assigned for a variety of reasons, for example as a way of recouping part of the direct or indirect costs of a convicted person's crimes. It's not assigned because the service itself is unpleasant.

Even if your hypothesis is correct, I don't think this is a situation where the means are more important than the ends.

You don't get paid for volunteering.

'The ends' being homeless people having something to eat or w/e.

Nick wrote:You don't get paid for volunteering.

but you get a tax break!

I've done a bit of volunteer work. Food banks, Cook County Forest Preserve, camps for under privileged kids, special olympics…
For the most part, after doing volunteer work, I felt a high degree of satisfaction.
Special Olympics was a tough one. Wouldn’t do that again.

Yea, I rarely ever volunteered for anything. When I did it was usually for some inherently selfish reason in the long term.

Someh wrote:Even if your hypothesis is correct, I don't think this is a situation where the means are more important than the ends.

This is basically my view on volunteering/donating. Even if someone's motive for doing it is to feel saintly, impress the boss, get a tax break, whatever. Doesn't matter to me as long as the ends are a net gain for society.

My fiancée was a little disappointed that I could never recall which charity was running my regular poker game on a given night. Until I explained to her that I donate more than just about anyone I know, even if I don't care which charity is benefiting on a given night. I know they're all legitimate licensed charities, but I don't keep track. A dollar is a dollar in the charity coffer. My selfish desire to win money is doing more good than most people who wear colored rubber bracelets to show everyone how much they fucking care.

I'm always surprised when egocentrists (and I don't even necessarily mean that pejoratively here) are so skeptical that others might sincerely enjoy altruistic acts for their own sake. Especially since research in neurobiology and other areas has provided scientific evidence of it.

The last time I volunteered was a requirement in college. I taught English and math to kids from South East Asia.

By the time the quarter was done they were in love with me and threw a going away party. They asked for an email address to keep in touch. I gave them a fake address because I didn't want to get guilt-tripped into going back and doing more volunteer work.

raj 2 wrote:I'm always surprised when egocentrists (and I don't even necessarily mean that pejoratively here) are so skeptical that others might sincerely enjoy altruistic acts for their own sake. Especially since research in neurobiology and other areas has provided scientific evidence of it.

great wording, great boarding Raj


Nick, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the concept of "altruism" in more depth.

raj 2 wrote:I'm always surprised when egocentrists (and I don't even necessarily mean that pejoratively here) are so skeptical that others might sincerely enjoy altruistic acts for their own sake. Especially since research in neurobiology and other areas has provided scientific evidence of it.

I don't believe there are any truly altruistic acts.

Even at the most base level. 'For it's own sake' is bs. Even if it is to feel self satisfied about helping out at the local soup kitchen that impulse is still selfish- they wanna feel good about themselves.

even if that's true, it would still be a form of enjoying it, contra to the OP

Yeah let's skip that part of the discussion please.

I think that is a fake enjoyment and stand by my OP.

Is there any way to sincerely be a good person or is any superficially good act just a form of fakery?

Never really do this, only because I always have something more important (work, self improvement) or more fun (doing nothing, anything). Could see doing something like habitat for humanity. Kill some time, build some houses, maybe a homeless dude will get a house. Seems like a win win win, and I've definitely spent lots of time doing less enjoyable things.

raj 2 wrote:even if that's true, it would still be a form of enjoying it, contra to the OP

Didn't read the OP lol

While some of the volunteers at The Olympics did just think it was a good way to get to watch it. Many of them had a real sense of pride in doing something good for the country, giving something back. Most of them haven't volunteered before.

Whole concept is different in Europe anyway, what with a broader welfare state.

Getting roped in to help at an autism event next month. I assure Nick that I will not "enjoy" it nor will I feel like "a good person".

Getting "roped in". Like a noose around the neck is a perfect way to describe volunteer work.

I would actually volunteer for a program that gets homeless people off the street. Like, if they invented flying cars that swoop in and grab them with giant claws by their stinky heads and drop them in a holding pen somewhere that isn't in front of my favorite lunchtime eateries.

That is volunteer work I would do.

Okay, Sickpup.