Josh+K.+-+Motivation



1. Are we, as some might say, motivated by a desire to save our off-spring? According to the theory of evolution, we would do selfless behaviors of a gene-protecting nature. We would protect ourselves so that we can reproduce and have offsprings. Moreover, we would protect our offsprings so that they can reproduce.

2. Must there always be some sort of intrinsic reward for doing good? There is no need of intrinsic reward for doing good because the website says that the selfless actions are really actions that hides our selfish mind. Through neurochemical rewards, person pride, social reward, "the want of power over others" will satisfy us, humans, enough to do more selfless behaviors.

3. Mr. Otis once said, "That having integrity is doing the right thing when no one is watching." If this is so, and no one knows when we have done good, would you still do good? We would still do good even though no one knows when we have done because through personal pride and neurochemical rewards. Even though no one might have noticed, you would be proud of yourself of what you have done. Neurochemical rewards also gets in to action, feeling good when doing socially good behaviors.

4. "Delayed reciprocal altruism", seems like a gamble - back to game theory, any way. Does this seem to make sense to you. That is that we act out of a desire to have what we have done being done to us? I do think that doing good behaviors to others may sometimes is a selfish act, investing in the future for a return. However, I don't think that this is the case all the time. For example, when you do charity or donations, it is not because you want something back from the poors and the sick people, but the action is coming out of your feelings of sympathy towards them. Therefore, I think delayed reciprocal altruism works only on certain cases.

5. Are we ever being truly "selfless" when committing an act of altruism? We are not being truly selfless when committing an act of altruism because we do those social good behaviors to benefit ourselves. For example, for others to affirm you sense of power and control, you do good things. Also, it is for your own personal pride. Therefore, I do not think that we are ever being truly selfless when committing an act of altruism but rather disguising our selfishness.

What seems to be the major motivating factor for people that are affected by an eating disorder?

It seems like the media is the motivating factor for people that are affected by an eating disorder. In modern days, the media is so well developed that people can create numerous conversation through the network. We can also view pictures and commentate them. With the development of the network, people had easy access to prettier models and actors who were seemed to have the 'perfect body.' Therefore, normal people tries to be like them and look like the celebrities who are so pretty with skinny body. Because everyone is doing all over the world, I think there is this psychology working where if you are the only one who is not actually doing diet, you are left out. Since everyone else does it and they look so adorable, more and more people try it and finally get eating disorders. Still, they try to be like the models on the internet through the media or someone in random blog who succeeded in dieting. Therefore, I think developed media and network is causing and motivating people that are affected by an eating disorder.

What might be the social/political implication for there being a gay gene?

If the gay gene is discovered, there would be a large impact on our social and political implications towards homosexual people. As it said in the article, if homosexuality is that something that you are born with, we should try more to protect their rights to be engaged with their own sex. Like the discrimination for skin color, homosexual people are tended to be discriminated by sexual people, the majority. Moreover, if a gay gene exists, there would be a way to cure gay genes by executing that particular chromosome and inserting other person's duplicated gene. That way I think that it is possible to cure homosexuality that an individual has. However, a existence of a gay gene is practical for me to understand because according to Darwin's theory of Survival of the Fittest, those that who survives will keep reproducing and pass on their genes. Homos don't reproduce, then how would it be possible for people to carry a gay gene? Mutation, maybe. Nonetheless, I believe that there would be a great change in our social and political views towards homosexual people if there is a gay gene existing in their body.

Module 23. Module 24.