DailyBlog : What’s In It For Me?

** The first two books in my six part dystopian series have officially made their way out into the world! Check them out!
For the sake of blogging and self-exploration and contemplation, I’ve been slowly making my way through answering questions from this list.

Today’s Question : When you help someone do you ever think, “What’s in it for me?”

If I’m being perfectly honest, as human beings, we all have a certain degree of selfishness that is literally necessary for self-preservation.

However, no, I do not typically help someone and say to myself, “What’s in it for me?” If it’s wintertime and I’m downtown stopping in a Starbucks and I see someone hanging around outside who looks cold and is probably ‘down on their luck’ I grab an extra tall hot chocolate along with my own order and bring it out to them and it would never occur to me to ask for or expect anything in return. I do it because I am able to afford to help others in small ways – why would you not? If I’m in a position where I -can- help someone that needs it, I do it.

I’ve never had to sleep in the street, I’ve never not had access to a warm shower and I’ve never went hungry, but I have been down on my luck and at times I’ve had to ask family and/or friends to help me out. I’m fortunate enough to have had help during times when I’ve needed it so that I didn’t end up in those especially bad situations others find themselves in, but not everyone is as fortunate as I have been in that way. I suppose the way I look at it, if I have an opportunity to help someone out and I don’t, it would be like spitting in the face of those who have helped me when I’ve been down on my luck. What’s in it for me? How about, how have I felt when I’ve needed help and how much did I appreciate it when help was given? Treat others how you want to be treated, it’s as simple as that. I do know what it’s like to look at the world around me and see (as well as be the victim of) the extreme ugliness that human beings are capable of toward each other, so if I can give someone five seconds of peace by bringing them a hot chocolate and MAYBE give them a moment of “not EVERYONE is awful!” it seems absurd NOT to.