Good Deed

[Seil]

I know it's Halloween coming up, I know we have the opportunity to TP someone's house, egg their car, whatever. I just have one favour to ask you. Tommorow is Saturday.

If you can, make someone smile. Make someone's day. Make somebody happy. Then post your good deed here so that I can smile. Be it as simple as complimenting someone's costume or protecting a sibling from bullying this Halloween because of whatever, we need some goodness in our good scares here y'all.

Happy Halloween.

[synkr0nized]

The way you've posted this makes it seem like this Saturday/today is different from any normal Saturday. Is this anything, other than it being the day before Halloween, that I am missing?

[Krylo]

Fuck good deeds.

Halloween is about fucking mischief and I won't have you ruining the only good holiday of the year with your goodwill toward man bullshit.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to remove the eggs from the fridge so they go bad by Sunday.

[Nique]

The way you've posted this makes it seem like this Saturday/today is different from any normal Saturday. Is this anything, other than it being the day before Halloween, that I am missing?

I think Seil just means since many of you will be getting up to Halloween pranks that may upset someone, that you may want to balance whatever version of karma you believe in with a good deed or two, or maybe also so that you may enjoy a guilt free Halloween prank-fest.

I do not celebrate Halloween - but I have been planing a surprise vacation to Hawaii for my wife for a few months. We are leaving tomorrow er... today. I get bonus points for this this good deed becuase some jerk stole my thunder and told her about it before I had a chance to reveal where we were going. Over Facebook no less. The fact that I am actively preventing myself from murdering this individual should count for multiple good deeds.

[synkr0nized]

That's what I figured, but like he made it sound all special.


The way I see it, as long as no one gets seriously hurt or shit isn't broken/stolen, whatever. Good deeds should happen all the time, not just to balance something.

[Archbio]

Halloween is about fucking mischief and I won't have you ruining the only good holiday of the year with your goodwill toward man bullshit.


Ruining Halloween like that sounds like an innovative form of mischief.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

I MAY give the little kids who play this Halloween game they've seen in the television programs from the Americas some sweets instead of yelling at them to get off my lawn.

On the other hand, I could do a good deed to myself and eat those nice treats myself.

Choices.

I could also tell them it's a heathen feast and wear a goat's head and otherwise be naked or something. Should be fun. But no, that's too much in the spirit of what they'd expect. I'll just tell them off my property with my grumpy old man voice like usual.

[Magus]

Philosphical Question: Is abstaining from a bad deed a good deed in and of itself? Or just neutral?

[Art of Hilt]

Philosophically? It's neutral.
In an ideal world "not doing bad things" would be like the default, not some kind of special achievement that people aren't expected to do.
I mean you're literally "not doing anything" which I dunno.
On the other hand you can make the case that abstaining from good deeds is itself a bad deed, which kind of contradicts what I just said? But not really because good deeds, unlike bad deeds, are like a philosophical goal you should reach, so abstaining from your goal can't be all that good.

[Magus]

Philosophical Question: Is performing a deed with a good intention but bad results a good deed or bad deed? i.e. is the path to hell truly paved with good intentions?

[Art of Hilt]

That really depends on the specifics.
Did the good intention have bad results because the deed itself was arguably 'bad', ie, stabbing someone in the face?
Or did the good intention have bad results because of personal ignorance, ie, congratulating someone on his gay boyfriend's graduation in front of their entire family, who he hasn't come out of the closet to yet?
Either way I think what is most important is how you bring the consequences of your actions to a peaceful resolution, instead of tipping the domino and letting everything fall down. Personal responsibility etc.

[Loyal]

The "good intentions" referred to in that saying refer specifically to thoughts like "I can make the world a better place, but I'll have to commit mass genocide," or "The ends justify the means."

[bluestarultor]

My brother was out to a movie last night and a teenaged girl crunched his car practice driving in the parking lot. Her dad called us up and wanted to get all the damage numbers together for insurance purposes. Since everyone else was asleep all day, I took the car out to get an estimate on the cost of repairs. Technically, my brother and I were asked to do it, but he was out with friends until late, so I did it myself and brought back burgers.

[Aldurin]

I MAY give the little kids who play this Halloween game they've seen in the television programs from the Americas some sweets instead of yelling at them to get off my lawn.

On the other hand, I could do a good deed to myself and eat those nice treats myself.

Choices.

Just do what Everybody Loves Raymond started. Give out condoms, convincing the kids they're chocolates so that the parents don't realize what's happened until you've locked your door and turned out the lights.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

That sounds like a good idea, but my condoms ran out (I'm not telling when that happened, though), and the only condom I have left is a very special one

(19:48:54) ChatBot: greed has started trolling you.
(20:20:21) ChatBot: InsaneGenius has started trolling you.
(20:20:59) InsaneGenius: Okay, I just had the weirdest Déjà vu
(20:22:24) InsaneGenius: Today I bought a studded condom from a group of men dressed in blue I met on the street.
(20:22:34) InsaneGenius: Wait a sec...
(20:22:48) InsaneGenius does a flashback sound and weird gesturing
(20:23:08) InsaneGenius: Two years ago I was seing The Dark Knight
(20:23:38) InsaneGenius: I was on my way to the train station where my mother waited for me to pick me up.
(20:23:52) greed: ....what the fuck.
(20:24:04) InsaneGenius: About a half km from the station a group of girls dressed in pink stopped me.
(20:24:22) greed: Is this referencing something or do you usually get your contraceptives that way. Cause honestly IG, that's pretty damn dodgy right there.
(20:24:54) InsaneGenius: And wanted to know if I wanted to attend their bachelors party or whatever you call it.
(20:25:03) InsaneGenius: For some reason they were interested in me
(20:25:10) greed: You're gonna end up with AIDs or a whole bunch of babies with names picked off that German registry you guys have.
(20:25:17) InsaneGenius: I had to decline the offer because I called my mom a minute ago.
(20:25:35) InsaneGenius: She was in town so I told her to wait for me
(20:25:55) greed: Hans and Herman and Schnitzel.
(20:25:56) InsaneGenius: Anyway, I didn't get laid that day.
(20:26:08) InsaneGenius: Today I was seeing inception.
(20:26:17) InsaneGenius: On my way home, on the same spot.
(20:26:23) InsaneGenius: A group of guys dressed in blue stopped me.
(20:27:00) InsaneGenius: They said they were collecting monies for booze for the bachelors party of some friend of theirs.
(20:27:13) InsaneGenius: I was reluctant, but then gave them one Euro.
(20:27:22) InsaneGenius: In return I received one studded condom.
(20:27:45) InsaneGenius: I'm now eagerly awaiting Nolan's next movie.
(20:28:09) InsaneGenius: To see what will happen to me on that spot then.
(20:28:11) greed: I see.
(20:28:22) InsaneGenius: I'll treasure this condom until that day.
(20:28:43) InsaneGenius: Expiry date is 2014, so it should be fine..

So I can't do that, sorry. Maybe next year. I'll get one of those sacks full of cheap condoms.

[Fifthfiend]

Philosophical Question: Is performing a deed with a good intention but bad results a good deed or bad deed? i.e. is the path to hell truly paved with good intentions?

Highly contingent on context AND MOST IMPORTANTLY a willingness to examine your own motivations and question how sincerely well-intentioned they really were.

[Magus]

So if I give kids candy thinking I'm doing something good, but has the side effect of encouraging them to eat candy and then they may become addicted to sugar and later in life be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes--

Is it still a good deed?

[bluestarultor]

So if I give kids candy thinking I'm doing something good, but has the side effect of encouraging them to eat candy and then they may become addicted to sugar and later in life be diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes--

Is it still a good deed?

Yes. It just goes under the heading of "no good deed goes unpunished." Especially if they find and sue you.

[Seil]

Too much talking, not enough good deeds.

[Aldurin]

Too much talking, not enough good deeds.

"Talk today so you can put off doing good for tomorrow." Or at least I think that's what it's like as a politician.

[Magus]

I was too busy pondering the moral intricacies of deeds to actually go do any good deeds today.

Also watching Batman.

[Aldurin]

Also watching Batman.

We'll count that as everyone's good deed for today.

[Amake]

I skipped on the Scott Pilgrim premiere to go to someone's birthday party.

That's some fuckin self-sacrifice.

I demand cookies. From everyone.

And that includes you.

[batgirl]

I save lives...everyday...I think I've done enough good deeds to warrant me being able to murder someone, right?

[DarkDrgon]

yes.

[bluestarultor]

Especially if it's doing the world a favor. Yet another good deed!

[Shyria Dracnoir]

I save lives...everyday...I think I've done enough good deeds to warrant me being able to murder someone, right?

Doubly so if it's that annoying little twerp of an intern you had a thread about a while back if he hasn't shaped up.

[Amake]

Now, just because your public image can allow you to eat babies on home video doesn't make it right.

No, none of us could judge you for a little murderin. We like you too much and we need you doing your job too much to do that. The only one who can judge you, Bats, is you.

[Magus]

batgirl, have you helped in the delivery of at least one baby? 'Cause if so you can kill one person. I think this is in the Constitution somewhere.

Not sure if you had to take that lame Hippocratic oath that tells you to do no harm, though.

[A Zarkin' Frood]

Everyone can judge anyone. They just don't have any right to do so and the judgement of your mom is just as valid or invalid as that of a judge.

Similarly you can do whatever you want, but you'll have to live with the consequences, how people react. Often Always backed by the morality of those who think dead baby jokes aren't funny.

[Magus]

That reminds me, what's the difference between a truck load of dead babies and truck load of bowling balls?

[synkr0nized]

Just don't.

[batgirl]

batgirl, have you helped in the delivery of at least one baby? 'Cause if so you can kill one person. I think this is in the Constitution somewhere.

Not sure if you had to take that lame Hippocratic oath that tells you to do no harm, though.

I don't follow the Hippocratic oath, that's Doctors. Also, I did indeed help in the "delivery" of a baby. She went into labor and we got her to the ER before the baby was born, which was good since the baby had the cord around his neck and they had to do an emergency c-section.

Doubly so if it's that annoying little twerp of an intern you had a thread about a while back if he hasn't shaped up.

Oh it would so be him too. He hasn't shaped up at all. He just hasn't done anything that warrants him being fired yet. Also, he doesn't complain openly anymore, just to his partner who I think wants to beat the shit out of him.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

F*** good deeds. I'm a capitalist.

[Darth SS]

F*** good deeds. I'm a capitalist.

Actually, the wealth of nations includes a bit where Smith noted that altruism appears to be a natural part of human nature, and that it was one of the most important methods for addressing economic disparity.

So if you're really a capitalist, you will actually choose to do good things because it makes you feel good.

[Aldurin]

So if you're really a capitalist, you will actually choose to do good things because it makes you feel good.

But what if doing bad things makes us feel good?

[Geminex]

Then you are clearly a socialist. That is obvious.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

F*** good deeds. I'm a capitalist.

Hahaha nobody really is a capitalist.

[Aldurin]

Hahaha nobody really is a capitalist.

True. My affiliation is survivalist with a secondary priority of shiny things and currency.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

That doesn't even make sense.
E: Forgot who I was dealing with.

[The Sevenshot Kid]

Actually, the wealth of nations includes a bit where Smith noted that altruism appears to be a natural part of human nature, and that it was one of the most important methods for addressing economic disparity.

So if you're really a capitalist, you will actually choose to do good things because it makes you feel good.

My whole world is shaken. Maybe one of those books by that Rand fellow will help my depression.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Surely you would be more shaken if your world belief was based on a book written the same year as the American Revolution. Wealth of Nations has as much to do with modern day capitalism as the Republic has to do with current systems of government.
Ayn Rand will totally hook you up though. Off the hizzy