I give away my time
and as any frothing-at-the-mouth capitalist like you will realise, time is money.
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 12:26, 1 reply)

You, erm ... you get something in return for your time, don't you?

( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 12:28, closed)

Sounds like you have an idea of what I get in return.
Care to reveal what your latest assumption is?
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 12:30, closed)

In discussions like this, it's generally frowned upon to answer a question with a question.
But I'll vote that at the very least it gives you a sense of charitable purpose, without which you would feel guilty, so, in the end, it's all about you satisfying your desire to be seen as charitable.

A trade-off, if you will.

You get what you wanted out of it.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 12:54, closed)

Frowned upon?
Oh, I apologise, we're bound by convention and social expectation, not in a free-for-all. Now I know, thanks.

And anyway, my answer is almost irrelevant isn't it, as your question was posed in a manner that suggested you'd already made up your mind?
Silly person, I already said what the reasons for getting involved are, namely that I had what I wanted from the parties involved, I'm just paying them back with my time. So, yes, it's a trade-off, I got what I wanted out of it (advice and support) and they get my time (for discussing others' need for advice and support and raising cash to support them in doing so.) Guilt doesn't enter the equation.

Nice that you acknowledge that there are such human feelings as charity and guilt though, and that they can be alternative motivators to monetary gain. But hey, you don't give a shit eh?
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 13:44, closed)

Giving to charity is just a self-congratulatory, mastabatory mechanism.
Everyon'e every action is selfish, I'm just pointing that out.

Of course, it's more comfortable to label oneself as philanthropic, kind, and socially-minded, but personally I just think that's a little poncy.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 13:57, closed)

There are
better ways of masturbation, even involving mechanisms.

I think you're confusing guilt and benevolence. If you happened to be walking down the street (implausible I know but just imagine your chauffeur is on strike over being paid the minimum wage) and a child was injured in front of you. If you help out, are you doing it because you'd feel guilt if you didn't, or do you help because you don't want to see someone suffer and you have the means to provide the assistance. The third option is walk on and feel angry that someone else didn't prevent it? A potential fourth is to cut a deal with an ambulance-chasing lawyer for a share of the compensation settlement for referring the case. See what I did there? I suggested that people act for different reasons, so just because you can't understand anyone else's motive but your own shouldn't mean their's aren't genuine to them.

Point me to someone who labels themselves as philanthropic and I'll show you a ponce. However, being kind and socially minded is hardly to be criticised is it? It is after all what's stopping you from robbing grannies on the bus when they have a few quid in their purses that would look nice deposited in your bank account?
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 14:15, closed)

The only reason people obey the law (ie - don't rob grannies, etc)
is because they're afraid of the consequent retribution.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 14:36, closed)

Yes ...
... of course it is.
Is this the conspiracy theory you almost believe, as in the QOTW?

*Gets paranoid and feels isolated that I'm potentially the only one that doesn't want to rob grannies regardless of the consequences*
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 15:15, closed)

The invisibility cloak, the just and the unjust fella.
You'd as soon as do it if you thought you could.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 15:30, closed)

No I wouldn't.
Never mind the law, I'd most likely burn in hell or something. Now there's a conspiracy theory.

Must go ... got to fill in some tax forms.
I love giving, me.
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 15:42, closed)

'Course not. You're better than criminals. You're a better person.
They should have a special area reserved for the good people like you - you should get more priviges than criminals.

What's that? Oh!
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 15:48, closed)

Mind if I pose a question now?
Well that pretty much analyses my motives, how did you arrive at yours? Do you get born a selfish cunt or does it take a certain amount of determined development?
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 13:57, closed)

Everyone's born a selfish cunt.
Just look at humanity now, and throughout history.

It's all me, me, me.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 13:58, closed)

Of course
we're born selfish, that's just what a new-born is, as it hasn't learned anything.
We're also born to shit and piss ourselves but we somehow manage to move on from that eh?

Well, I suppose I could be falling foul of generalisation myself a bit there.
( Araucaria is such a tit, Wed 7 Dec 2011, 14:19, closed)

This is pure comedy gold!
Keep it up ;)
( blaireau69 , the Cumbrian Travis Bickle., Wed 7 Dec 2011, 15:28, closed)