Muhammad (Peace be upon them) stated:
“Actions are only via Motives. And, a Person will only attain what motives them.”.
(an-Nawawī)
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Very often, if/when we do something, anything for Others: it’s simply Human-Nature to want something in return. Most-People aren’t interested in giving something for nothing. We never want to think/feel that we’ve gotten nothing out of it. The “What’s in it for me?” Concept is very much a Real-Dimension via the Human-Experience. It honestly hails from a Selfish-Space: completely natural via Human-Nature though. However, it takes Significant-Principle, from anyone, to give of/from one’s Self without any Desire for Payback.
Addressing the Aforementioned-Quote of Gotethe…we as Humans possess the Natural-Propensity to treat Certain-Persons differently based on whether or not we need them, they need us, etc. And when we choose to still grant Others Due-Respect, regardless of that: this is a True-Sign of Authenticity ( via Principle, Integrity, Morality). I’d of course be a Liar/Dishonesty, if I were to claim that’s something necessarily easy to do. However, it’s always necessary to do…at least the Effort to do so must be made.
One of the Best-Examples of this is the Realm of Electoral-Politics
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From Ancient Greco-Roman Times: Politicians have made Promises to those they know don’t Squad-Up & work together for their own Betterment/Improvement. Because of this, naturally, constantly/consistently Most-Politicians have been given Free-Reign to abuse their Political-Positions since their Constituents refuse to collaborate jointly to either hold them to Task or cease Voting for them.
Amongst the Most-Noble of Deeds are doing Things for Others which one knows they’re incapable of repaying. It completely depersonalizes the Action of the Giver to the Receiver. Additionally, it grants the Giver a lot more than was granted to the Receiver. It raises the Consciousness, Principle, Integrity, etc. of a Person to do something for another for a Purpose higher than themselves.
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Alterior-Motive & Leverage manifested via Relationships
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Why’re Humans like this?!!!
Humans always want the Edge over Other-Humans. Competition to have the Advantage is a Hallmark-Quality of how Humanity operates. All our Human-Relationships reflect this totally. Most-People are only viewed as being expendable, via the Popular-Idiom, the Ole-Saying, etc.: “What’ve you done lately?”. Most-People don’t care what you’ve done for them, or even how much you’ve done for them. They only care about the Most-Recent you’ve done for them. This isn’t something easy to admit, as it undoubtedly affirms/confirms that People inherently use one another. However, it’s something each/all of us must recognize/accept thereof as 💯%-Reality.
What’s the Solution, if any such Solution?!!!
Good-Question…Answer:
Selfishness will never disappear from the Human-Makeup. Human-Beings won’t ever cease pursuing our own Self-Interests. Now, to combat this…I’ll repeat what I always tell People, “None of us can prevent being manipulated. But, most of can can definitely control whom we tolerate/allow to manipulate us.”.
Let’s all stop pretending that all our Human-Relationships are “Genuine”, “Pure”, “Honest”, etc. Let’s stop ignoring Red-Flags which alert our Instincts to distance ourselves from and/or totally avoid Certain-Persons. Let’s be unafraid of the Consequences of Bridge-Burning…Certain-Bridges are worth burning.
Gareth Bryant
1445, A.H./2024, C.E.