So I'm always hearing about horrible things many people do and constantly see people being selfish and hyprocritical but, just when I begin to lose hope in humanity I encounter a generous person or witness a good deed.For example there is an eye doctor here in the area who is always trying to help and recently decided to go to Mexico to help offer eyecare to over 1000 people for free. Does anyone else have any stories?

Most people ARE good. There is more good in the world than bad. Unfortunately, the bad outshines the good. "There's no better news than bad news" as the saying goes.

I'd agree with that. Most people I know are good people, but the bad stuff is for whatever reason more noticeable. It doesn't help that the majority of news stories are about bad stuff rather than good stuff; I think my overall mood has improved since I've avoided the news, and seems to take a nosedive when I relapse.

Having a moment of complete and unrestrained selflessness I once filled the tank of a rental car with Premium.

Most of what I do throughout my life is with the intention of serving others or trying to make people happy while asking nothing in return because knowing that I made someone happy is all I need and want, I also view others' lives as being more valuable than my own. Not saying I dont like my life I just think others are more capable of doing great things and having bright futures so I do what I can to help them out along the way. How noble of me, right? Well, I also hate bragging so writing this is going to take a lot of work like, seriously I consider myself very humble so me basically going on about how good of a person I am is very very rare so take note of this because it wont happen again

I think I once posted a thread on here explaining how a few weeks ago I stayed up an entire night to comfort my ex who's boyfriend dumped her, basically I listened to her vent and rant over the phone for a few hours then spent the rest of the night trying to make her happy. Because, although shes my ex and she made me miserable for a long time after dumping me I still had her as a friend and I value friendships more than family in all honesty, there isnt a single thing I won't do for my friends. Anyway, thats the most recent mentionable good deed I've done, most good I do is petty things like pay for my friend's movie ticket if they didnt bring enough money or give a kid at school who never has pencils a bunch of mine. Of course doing things like this has the danger of being taken advantage of and this has happened in the past, but lately I've been choosing friends who value my giving quality and dont take advantage of me.

So, that wasnt really a story but more of a general statement of things I've done but you get the point.

Edit: Just realized how conceded this whole thing makes me sound, sorry about that.

I bring mercy through lead.

I once punched a guy in the face in a bar for hassling a woman, turned out to have been her boyfriend. I'm not actually sure if that is good or bad but I'm going to chalk it up to good because punching is good, sometimes, usually... does philanthropy have to involve money? I've never had the money to do anything good.

Yeah, I think that in order to qualify as a philanthropic act you would have had to pay someone else to punch that guy in the face. Otherwise it just counts as a good deed.

Pretty much this ^

This is why most people see stories about corrupt cops and accidents with cops. One of the more recent ones is about that metro cop that "Accidentally" pulled out his gun instead of his tazer shooting an unarmed person. The man was sentenced, but then released with his release causing widespread outcry by many people. Sadly his story out shines stories about good cops like a cop that risks his/her life to save the life of another person through split second timing.

I like the example of the textile mill-owner Aaron Feuerstein. When his mill burned in 1995, everyone thought he would send his work overseas, but he continued to pay his workers for several months while they rebuilt the mill, and didn't let anyone go.

http://www.opi-inc.com/malden.htm

one of the store owners in the city, he and his wife allows customers to put thing on tab and pay later, like, when the next check comes. it is a blessing to out family that we found this store . it is nice to see people trust people like that.

Everybody is selfish, and only has self interest deep at heart. But what makes them "good" or "bad" is how it effects others. Some people do good deeds because it makes them feel good, some people rob others because it gives them excitement or monetary gain.

I generally am nice to people, and try to help because it makes me feel better, and I believe it leads to a healthier lifestyle (it also helps that it comes naturally to me as well).

I disagree. but mostly because I have a very difficult to explain/understand philosophy about good and bad (being that those two concepts are intangible and don't exist beyond the perception of individuals)

I wiegh good v bad upon the ecological impact of what ever I am viewing, on every thing. currently this leads me to believe that there is no such thing as a good person.

acts of philanthropy like providing eye care to a 1000 people can be considered selfish when applied to how it impacts every thing else. sorry to hijack the thread with that, some might call the previous negative but inspite of other peoples perceptions I am an optimist.

EDIT: I agree with what shadowbeast says above. no selfless act is truely selfless because the philanthropist in question recieves self gratification, but even I won't begrudge some one for that.