Theresa

[JetLeg]

What do you think about dedicating your life to the alleviate the suffering of others, like Mother Theresa allegedly did. (I know that many people don't agree that she actually did any good, and I do not want to discuss that. It seems that some people really do what she did allegedly, and the question is if that is the highest virtue).

[Darat]

I think it is a very worthy thing to aspire to, I do know that I'm too selfish to do it!

[Aitch]

Depends on the person, I suppose. I feel vaguely uneasy about someone whose life is of so little importance to them that they can dedicate all of it to helping others.

Mind you, I suppose it also depends on the society you live in. If instead of everybody being caring enough to help out when needed, you have enough people who just don't care about others, then you probably need a few ego-less people to do nothing but help others.

There is also the possibility that people like Mother T are not dedicating selflessly, but in hope of a reward - in some afterlife possibly, or even just respect while alive.

However I am just thinking aloud here, so YMMV etc.

[paximperium]

While noteworthy, I don't give any special consideration to people with such goals. Some people find pleasure in such activities and find aleviating suffering to be their "thing".

I find as much worth in activities from people who do nothing but sell groceries, fix tiles or do research.

[Cuddles]

I would say it depends on how exactly you do the dedicating. For my part, I consider the whole point of charity and such is not just to try to get everyone to have the same standard of living, it is to raise everyone to the same standard of living. As such, dedicating your life to trying to help others is completely pointless if it results in lowering your own standard too far. For example, I give some money to charity, but I'm not going to give all my money to charity because that wouldn't actually achieve much more and would leave me no better off than the people I try to help.

It also depends on what you actually dedicate your life to doing. What one person considers help may be worse than doing nothing from another point of view. You say you don't want to discuss whether Mother Theresa actually did help, but it's an integral part of your main question. If what you dedicate your life to actually causes more suffering, how could you consider it a good thing? It's not just the thought that counts, actions matter. Dedicating your life to helping others can only be a good thing if you actually help them.

[Gord_in_Toronto]

I think the so called "Mother" Theresa was a mean-spirited, lying, deceitful, hypocrite -- but that's just what is established by the facts. :mad:

However, if you want someone who actually went this route and "walked the walk", I would nominate Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger who resigned as Montreal's archbishop to perform missionary work in Africa among lepers and handicapped children.

Paul-%C3%89mile_Cardinal_L%C3%A9ger

[Seismosaurus]

As I understand it, Mother Theresa did absolutely nothing to alleviate the suffering of anybody. She merely gave them a clean place to lie and some support whilst they suffered, as she believed that suffering is good for the soul.

[Ysidro]

As I understand it, Mother Theresa did absolutely nothing to alleviate the suffering of anybody. She merely gave them a clean place to lie and some support whilst they suffered, as she believed that suffering is good for the soul.

Yeah, but JetLag didn't want to talk about that. S/He wants to talk about the fantasy.

[Porkpie Hat]

I live in a household with four women (five when my mother comes out).

What about my suffering????

[ponderingturtle]

Depends on the person, I suppose. I feel vaguely uneasy about someone whose life is of so little importance to them that they can dedicate all of it to helping others.

Mind you, I suppose it also depends on the society you live in. If instead of everybody being caring enough to help out when needed, you have enough people who just don't care about others, then you probably need a few ego-less people to do nothing but help others.

There is also the possibility that people like Mother T are not dedicating selflessly, but in hope of a reward - in some afterlife possibly, or even just respect while alive.

Hey Mom T made a lot of bank with that whole selfless bit. Anything that get me my own airplane, I hate flying commercial.

[ponderingturtle]

As I understand it, Mother Theresa did absolutely nothing to alleviate the suffering of anybody. She merely gave them a clean place to lie and some support whilst they suffered, as she believed that suffering is good for the soul.

Wait you heard it was clean? That goes against what I have heard.

[JetLeg]

So I will replace Mother Theresa by Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger (Gord in Toronto's post)

[Gord_in_Toronto]

So I will replace Mother Theresa by Cardinal Paul-Émile Léger (Gord in Toronto's post)

Much better! ;)

[JetLeg]

Yeah, but JetLag didn't want to talk about that. S/He wants to talk about the fantasy.

No, I want to talk about the concept of altruism. Whether mother Theresa truly represents it or not is not the point.

[KingMerv00]

Ok Jetleg,

Altruism is admirable. What's your point?

[Beerina]

Or not (http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/altruism.html). What's your point?

Do not hide behind such superficialities as whether you should or should not give a dime to a beggar. That is not the issue. The issue is whether you do or do not have the right to exist without giving him that dime. The issue is whether you must keep buying your life, dime by dime, from any beggar who might choose to approach you. The issue is whether the need of others is the first mortgage on your life and the moral purpose of your existence. The issue is whether man is to be regarded as a sacrificial animal. Any man of self-esteem will answer: “No.” Altruism says: “Yes.”

[jj]

What about her suffering is good for the soul, and if you die you win attitude?

[Foolmewunz]

Asked 'n Answered by Darat right off the bat.

Nothing to do with the actual veracity of the Mother Theresa myth - just the general concept of altruistic people getting out there and dedicating their lives to others' well being.

There have been many such persons. Whether they were "True Altruists" doesn't matter. The people who benefitted from their behaviour probably didn't have the time to stop and ask them if they were doing so for self-serving reasons or a genuine wish to help. They were too busy being needy to really care about the motives.

Highest virtue? That part I'm not sure about. But it'd rank a fairly decent grade, that's for sure.

[KingMerv00]

Or not (http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/altruism.html). What's your point?

The hypothetical in the OP is about a person who enjoys being altruistic. In that case, I don't know why anyone would object.