Human Complexity

None of us are untarnished saints. We all carry some very human traits.

David brooks wrote:

“The long road to character begins with an accurate understanding of our nature, and the core of that understanding is that we are flawed creatures. We have an innate tendency toward selfishness and overconfidence. We have a tendency to see ourselves as the center of the universe, as if everything revolves around us” (Brooks, 2016).

See Self-Complexity for more on this topic

Motivations Behind the Act

We judge our compassion from select behavioral expressions, we conveniently filter for neatness, while ignoring the dark motivations bubbling underneath. Behaviors may appear compassionate but the action, perhaps, was motivated by hope for personal gain. Or conversely, a behavior may appear spiteful but compassionately motivated.

Compassionate people are sensitive to suffering—all suffering.  Benevolent internal stirrings encourage action to assuage the observed pain; a motivating affect starts the movement towards kindness.

See Subjective Interpretations of Kindness for more on this topic

Giving to Avoid a Fight

Giving a grown child money may not be an act of compassion if the gift is knowingly contributing to a nasty drug habit. We may be giving money to avoid another conflict. The discomfort motivating action isn’t sensitivity to suffering but fear of another dramatic encounter with a disrespectful adult child. Relieving guilt or protective maneuvers isn’t compassion. The money is given for self-benefiting reasons—not necessarily wrong, just not an act of compassion.

The complexity of hidden motivations, pushing actions, allows us manipulate the reason behind our action. Just as kindness may be selfishly motivated, appearances of meanness may actually be acts of  compassion. Grabbing the arm of the toddler about to jet across the busy street may upset the youngster, his plans were foiled. But the act may have saved his life, whether he understands the purpose of the intervention or not.

See Pathological Conflict Avoidance for more on this topic

No Gauge to Measure Compassion

Lengthy and adept justifications can manipulate both good and bad actions, treating the mind to the enjoyable meaning it seeks. Mean people don’t see themselves as such. Mean people shiftily explain evil with a positive twist. “I am a straight shooter; I say things as they are,” or “Karma, they just got what they deserved.” Our explanations may be accurate or justifying—depending on the context.  Our straight shooting may be hurtful, not spoken with concern, but with venom.

There is no gauge available to measure compassion; no ruler, no scale. We must rely on the imperfect subjective reasoning of our minds, doing our best to look a little deeper, considering common tendencies to justify with a rosy picture. Kindness that we give or receive when carefully examined may reveal unseen factors—social acceptance, insecurity, financial benefits, votes, or self-promotion.

Kindness motivated by outside forces, with expectant strings attached, may quietly (or overtly) demand payback. No compassion is found here. When we express kindness because we feel obligated or with hopes of reward, we feel slighted when no reward is given. When the motivating purpose is to alleviate someone’s pain, the act is its own reward.

Any kindness, no matter the motivations, isn’t necessarily wrong; it just isn’t compassion and we would do well to acknowledge it as such.

Insecurities and Selfish Protections

When insecurities are strong—as it is for many–we seek acceptance, often with acts of kindness. Such acts reward with superficial acceptance. But the actions, foolishly motivated for personal gain are often remembered, like bills for services rendered. When left unpaid, the kindness is withdrawn, self-righteousness glorified, and the receiver vilified. “I was kind and you never gave anything in return!” Gifts, under these rules, are given but not freely, later presented as evidence against the receiver.

​Kindness with strings attached are not gifts, but bartering tools for personal gains. For the compassionate, joys are less palatable when obtained by stealing joy from another. Some enjoy winning, while other prefer beating others. With compassion, we are willing to suffer if it brings relief to the whole.

Common Traits of Selfish People

If we step out from our self-protecting glasses, we can see the signs of selfishness. Some common traits of selfishness are:

• Lack of Empathy: They may have difficulty understanding or sharing the feelings of others.
• Self-Centeredness: Their own needs and desires take precedence over those of others.
• Manipulative Behavior: They might manipulate situations for their own benefit.
• Lack of Remorse: They often show no regret for actions that harm others.
• Entitlement: They may feel entitled to receive more than they give.
• Poor Reciprocity: They are often unwilling to return favors or share resources.
• Rudeness: They can be inconsiderate and disregard the feelings of others.

It’s important to note that these traits can vary widely among individuals and are not definitive indicators of a person’s overall character.

Associated Concepts

• Primary Dilemma: This refers to a fundamental philosophical and psychological concept that revolves around the conflict between our basic desires and the constraints of social integration.
• Helper’s High: This refers to the feeling of euphoria, increased well-being, and reduced stress that people experience after engaging in acts of altruism or helping others. It’s a combination of physiological and psychological rewards associated with selfless behavior.
• Empathy: this emotion is a primary glue bonding us to others. It can be classified into several types, including cognitive empathy, emotional empathy, and compassionate empathy.
• Prosocial Behaviors: These behaviors refers to voluntary actions intended to benefit others or society as a whole. This can include acts of kindness, cooperation, sharing, and helping, often without any expectation of rewards or benefits in return.
• Social Exchange Theory: This theory posits that prosocial behavior is a result of a cost-benefit analysis where individuals help others with the expectation of future reciprocation or benefits.
• Altruism (A Defense Mechanism): This is a defense mechanism that involves acting in a selfless and compassionate manner towards others. It is characterized by prioritizing the needs and well-being of others over one’s own desires or interests.
• Social Skills: These refer to the abilities and behaviors that enable individuals to interact effectively with others in various social situations. These skills include communication, active listening, empathy, teamwork, conflict resolution, and the ability to understand and navigate social cues.

A Few Words by Psychology Fanatic

​We must skeptically examine actions for hidden evil motives. We can be more objective, a little more compassionate, eliminating suffering and promoting greater kindness.

Compassion is not always joyful. Compassion may cause sorrow when we connect with the pain of another. Our success our tempered by the costs to the whole. Compassion stimulates sorrow for suffering and we feel motivated to help relieve. With compassion, exposures to crime and poverty, even by people in a foreign lands, chills our soul and we feel sad.

Our well-being requires processing these uncomfortable feelings without ignoring suffering by dismissing their pain with blame and division. Often, we prefer to escape the discomforts by proclaiming, “they bring it on themselves.” But pain is real and hurts regardless of the cause. I ask, check yourselves closely, asking point blank with no excuses, “am I selfish?”