I think it certainly can. I think it might depend on the situations, but it also depends on whats are more important to you. Your desires, or someone elses well being. And sure, you could say that because someone elses well being is important to you, that when you defend it, you are being selfish because it is important to you.
However I dont think that is always the case... or even mostly the case for that matter. I think it really depends on your own values and morals.
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self image one of our most important concepts in mental health. self image is how we see our selves and how we believe others see us. i am a good person a good person does this.... if we do the act there is no problem we feel no anxiety, guilt etc. if we do not then we feel a almost physical pain that is the emotional upheaval caused the painful realization we are not who we thought we are. so we make up reasons to make our actions fit our versions of our self image. i didnt save the boy because he was not really a good boy or i couldnt have saved him... ect. our belief in who we are is so powerful that it can makes us do amazing or really stupid things.
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I think for this to be true there has to be time for thought. There are situations where you rely on instincts alone. Do you think that the passengers who faught back when their plane was highjacked so that it would not result in an even larger catastrophe were thinking, "Sweet if we take down this plane before they can crash it into something we will be hero's!". I dont think so. I think there are times where people snap, and when it happens reasonable thought is gone. They are fighting for something they believe in and in their hearts they know what is right. When they brought down the plane they were protecting people they had no emotional connection with.
I appologize if that example offended anyone... it was all I could think of at the time.
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here is another point. when someone says that Mr. Everyone just died in a car accident what is the usally first responces. was he drinking, was he wearing a seatbelt. we dont really care that he die (unless he was very close to us say a beloved family member) we just want someone to comfort us saying that cant happen to us. we do this to protect our self image that driving a car is safe for us. our self image is ruthless in protecting oursleves. we will even commit suicide to protect our self image. worse our self image is at a unconscious level. so we dont even relalize we are doing it.
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Personally when I hear of an accident... I usually think, "Its so sad stuff like this happens all the time", and I think of how fortunate that I am. I myself was in an accident, a really bad one, and I was lucky as hell I am still here today. I think having such an experience has led me to accept that shit happens... and there is not much we can do about it when it does. Perhaps this has given me a different outlook on things.. but I dont remember thinking differently before hand. I counted my losses and moved on, knowing they could have been worse. I know the next time I drive a car, it could be the last thing I do. Well, I do it anyway. I do not try to pull illusions in front of my face.