Consciously, yes. Although sub-consciously it could the feel good factor you get from helping someone that's the buzz of it. Not in a selfish way but do you get what I mean?

Using one example, I'm pretty sure home helps/carers don't do their jobs solely for the money. Having to help shower old people, change beds that can be messed...there must be an inner want to help others with a role like that?

That's tricky - if you give something to charity, even a quid in the bucket, you feel good and think you have done a good thing.

I agree

Not if you're Simon Cowell.

Seriously now. I'm pretty sure one could if one wanted to, but maybe said person wants name recognition or something. Or something else. I know at high school when people did community service it was so they could put something nice on their uni applications.

Actually I can be a bit that way sometimes..tis about empathy, which is very much an in built feeling. I think most folk have it but are distracted by everyday persuasions.

Yes

I'd hazard a guess that people can do that simply because that is the kind of society they want to live in or the good feeling that they get from it...not, exactly "selfless"

I don't agree to a certain extent Muf...yes it is a good feeling afterwards..but the deed can be done without thought ....there are many good samaritans on this planet that have no thought but for others..can't imagine they all do it for the good feeling it gives them....?

Well yes but I think there is always a payback,  if only it's the high of feeling you've done something "good" even if that's buying the Big Issue from the bod outside Sainsbury's Central.

A wee while back my brother lost his wallet near Saundersfoot. He wasn't upset so much about the money/cards although that was annoying to cancel etc but he had some stuff of sentimental value in there etc...2 days later and back home in Bridgend there was a knock on the door. A rather  rough looking bloke stood there - he'd found the wallet and coincidentally lived nearby and was returning it. What motivated him to do that?

And mebbe the fact that we were all stunned that someone HAD returned it - cash/cards etc all intact -speaks really sadly about our expectations.

Aye Slim' there comes a time when instinct takes over, say diving into a canal to save a drowning person.

I also found this definition in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary describing how altruism can apply to animals:-
"Animal Behavior . behavior by an animal that may be to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, as a warning cry that reveals the location of the caller to a predator."

I eat any chocolate I find in the house, to save the kids from it.

But I must admit, it feels good.