Would you be a “Superhero”?
Here is—for the purposes of this question—the definition
- You cannot use your ability for your own gain (“No Self-gain)
- Nobody can know that you did any of your deeds while you are a superhero (“No Glory”)
- You can’t use your abilities dishonestly, dishonorable, etc. (“No Supervillian”)
Really, it boils down to a question of spending your own time and energy for no tangible return nor benefit to you for being able to do good.
It took me a while to get an honest answer out of myself for this one. I like the idea of doing good but I wonder if my knowledge of being rewarded in heaven (and thus eventually) is still the main motivation for me to do good. Or the “feel good” feeling afterwards. Am I doing good for it’s own sake truly? Is that a desirable outcome?
Would you be a “Superhero”?
Discuss.
7 Comments
July 25, 2009 at 8:28 pm
No: it would take too much out of the time my family would need from me and the time that I could spend doing the good and meaningful scholarship that I could do. Besides, I still fail to see what a superhero would do in these times. And if it was sleep alone that I was to lose, it would still be to the detriment of everyone I could help.
July 29, 2009 at 3:04 am
But Lue, who says that you have to spend bucket loads of time being a superhero? If you have the abilities, you can choose when and where you’d want to use them. It’s just that being a superhero, you have more opportunities to do good because you have the capacity.
July 29, 2009 at 4:16 pm
I don’t need more opportunities like that. If I’d just take the opportunities I had (and if circumstances would cooperate), it’d be plenty. So I guess new capacities just wouldn’t do me much good for the purpose of doing good.
July 27, 2009 at 5:47 pm
A fair reply, Lue.
I guess my post was me wondering if I would do something good if I got nothing in return: not rewards, not recognition and instead lost time and energy.
July 28, 2009 at 9:36 pm
Is that the same as anonymously rescuing a man from quicksand?
July 30, 2009 at 6:23 pm
In a sense, yes. But what if it was asked, or even required of you for a considerable portion of your time? (Assume that your family is still somehow provided for)
September 22, 2009 at 3:20 pm
But part of providing for your family IS giving them time.