People are selfish.

People are selfish. This is what i have concluded. I am not an exception. Even the kind ones. Not necessarily selfishness in the usual, conventional sense that most ppl have an idea of perhaps. But nevertheless, selfish.

Think of those who care and show concern for others. When an old lady falls down, and a boy sees it and feels for her. He sees it, then he feels the sadness. And perhaps this is followed by some physical sensation: In his within his chest, he feel a curious sense of soreness. So he reaches out his hand and tries to help the old lady.

Is this compassion? Kindness? Well it is, depending on how you see it.

But i feel that all these kindness are sorta reactionary. Like, this kind act is carried out to to fulfill a certain private desire. The desire, the urge, to quell the sore sensation that manifests within the boy's body when he sees the old lady falling down.

What we detect causes an internal reaction in our mind and body. Then this reaction (or sensation) produces an urge (or desire) to help someone. Ultimately the process ends with the physical action of actually helping that person.
What is the cause of this process?

It might have been social conditioning. Or a genetic program we're born with. But whatever it's cause, it can never considered as total selflessness. No matter what our goals are. No matter now holy, or good it is. It is always selfish. For the self. To make ourself feel better.

What do we want to feel?
Being high up on the corporate ladder: ---to feel successful.
Be rich: ---to experience life's comfort and luxury.
To love someone and care for them: ---to not be alone, to feel your own existence as you interact.
Helping people: ---to feel good about oneself, to be experience less uneasiness when you see less suffering around you, to be accepted by following the social norms of helping people.

Consider Gandhi and Mother Theresa. Yes, they were great people. And yes, then have definitely helped many people. One cannot deny of the great things they have done. Nevertheless, it is carried out to fulfill their own desires. a desire to help their people, yes. But desires, nevertheless, of their own.