Question about doing the right thing.

WantsumBier

There is a question that has been stirring in my craw for a while now.  When did a reward become a requirement for doing a good deed?

 

There was an incident down here a week or two back when a group of illegal aliens came across the scene of a fatal vehicle accident. The driver of the vehicle was killed leaving her young son; who was also in the vehicle, alone at the scene of the accident.  One of the illegal aliens stayed with the child until help arrived.

 

This was an admirable act, but is it one that deserves a reward?  I ask this question because there was a push by some in the Hispanic community to have the U.S. Government grant citizenship to the illegal alien.

 

What has happened to doing something just because it was the right thing to do?

Godliest

It's always nice to get some prize or equal for doing something as it's the true proof that what you did did really mean something. But if a prize should be handed out to every admirable act there wouldn't be much prizes left. From the story you told I believe that granting him/her citizenship would be really nice for him/her, but also quite wrong as you shouldn't get citizenship as a prize because you did an admirable act. I personally is against it in that case, actually.

xxthecorexx

i agree completely. now a days people expect an "atta-boy!" when they wipe their own ass and quite frankly it makes me sick. society has become filled with underachievers who expect and think they deserve something just for being.

 

see any similarities to to the gaming community ?

Godliest

---

Originally posted by xxthecorexx
i agree completely. now a days people expect an "atta-boy!" when they wipe their own ass and quite frankly it makes me sick. society has become filled with underachievers who expect and think they deserve something just for being.

see any similarities to to the gaming community ?

---

The difference is that the gaming community spend 8hrs in a stupid dungeon to get a pair of pink and orange leggings that give +intellect while the guys in RL sit by a car and call for the ambulance.

maskedweasel

Originally posted by Nasica


Going to the very core of this argument. Im really only left with one thought on the matter.

A man who knowingly risks his own freedom, purely to save the life of an innocent child. This is the type of man that Countries need. Selflessness (It didnt come accross as he was the one asking for amnesty) should be encouraged, especially in this consumer driven society we seem to have created.

This is something to agree with here. No not everyone should be rewarded for doing the right thing, in this particular situation, no, a reward is not necessary. When this man did that for that child, he wasn't expecting a reward.

Why do people need rewards? Well, frankly, without a reward there would be no incentive.  If I give this wallet back to you that I found on the ground, maybe I'll get a reward for finding it?  Would I turn the wallet in voluntarily?  In most cases people wouldn't. 

Doing good things just for the sake of doing good things, it's not something you see very often.  This gentleman however, did a good deed for the sake of doing one, not because of glamor or reward. In fact he did a good deed at his own peril, which is something that should be rewarded.

But you can't reward someone by breaking the law, and thats pretty much where this ends.

Draenor

Interesting...Deserving of automatic citizenship?  Hardly, sorry but this guy has to get in the back of the line, there are thousands of people who want to become citizens of this country who are very deserving, I don't think that one good deed should propell this guy to the front of the line...besides he was in the country illegally in the first place, so we should reward him for doing the right thing while simultaneously doing something else that was illegal? UMMMM

Dauthix

Rewards?  I consider the tax free income the illegal alien is earning as reward enough.

Akunai

May or not relate to the story you told, but I couldn't help thinking....  What kind of person would not reward another for doing the right thing? 

I mean, sure, a person shouldn't be motivated by rewards when doing "the right things", but aren't you saying that the people who do "the right thing" should not be rewarded?  If you did something to help someone when you didn't have to, at your own peril, and they did not reward you when you knew they had the means to...what would you think of that person?  Would you think less of them?

Adreal

Originally posted by WantsumBier


There is a question that has been stirring in my craw for a while now.  When did a reward become a requirement for doing a good deed?
 
There was an incident down here a week or two back when a group of illegal aliens came across the scene of a fatal vehicle accident. The driver of the vehicle was killed leaving her young son; who was also in the vehicle, alone at the scene of the accident.  One of the illegal aliens stayed with the child until help arrived.
 
This was an admirable act, but is it one that deserves a reward?  I ask this question because there was a push by some in the Hispanic community to have the U.S. Government grant citizenship to the illegal alien.
 
What has happened to doing something just because it was the right thing to do?

Meh. It's good to get something out of the deal, but doing the deed can be reward enough.

War_Eagle

I have been burned for doing the right thing before.  Actually, quite a few times.  Some people find people who try to do the right thing and exploit them for their own gain.  Kind of draws the line between good and evil if you ask me.

I think the reward for more people doing the right thing just to do it would be one that we would all reap eventually.  However, I don't have much of an optimistic expectation lately.  The more I look around, the more I see selfishness and arrogance in others behaviors.

Even during this holiday season. 

Unknown

Consider this, though. A person who risks freedom and future to stay with a child until help arrives. Is this not a quality we want in a citizen? The vast majority of illegal aliens will never have a chance to prove themselves in this way, but here is one who has.

Bane82

Those that do good deeds for rewards only are not honest in the first place. No I don't think he "deserved" citizenship for that. The hispanic community is only kidding itself and trying to paint a picture that's not there.

Bane82

---

Originally posted by War_Eagle
I have been burned for doing the right thing before.  Actually, quite a few times.  Some people find people who try to do the right thing and exploit them for their own gain.  Kind of draws the line between good and evil if you ask me.
I think the reward for more people doing the right thing just to do it would be one that we would all reap eventually.  However, I don't have much of an optimistic expectation lately.  The more I look around, the more I see selfishness and arrogance in others behaviors.
Even during this holiday season. 

---

and this is exactly the reason why I don't necessarily think that every good deed necessarily "deserves" a reward. You're supposed to do a good deed because you're a good person at heart, not because you're expecting something in return. Doing good deeds isn't necessarily supposed to be easy as you said anyway. Nothing worth having is meant to be easy.

Dauthix

Don't get me wrong...I'm for aliens being able to gain citizenship.  What irritates me is that the illegal ones are draining our economy and not putting anything back into the system. 

I've read plenty of stories about and I know many people who have helped others, but they don't get rewards.