Do we care for people ? [ read details ]?

when my friends are sick i actually care about them and hope that they get better. Some people only car for the sick in hopes that they will get somethings out of it like money when they die. I think it matters because it shows who you can actually trust in the world and who you cant.

I care for people when they are sick because I care about them. There is no expectation of return.

I care for the people I love when they’re sick because I love them. I wouldn’t consider it a banking of a future favour, but I’d hope that those I love would feel the same way about me.

I care about them when they are sick or down and out or going through bad times because I truly care about them. I don’t do it for selfish reasons.

But what abouts the ones who are not our relatives ?

@Hibernate – what abouts the ones who are not our relatives ?

I care for my family and close friends when they’re not well. I don’t provide any care for people who aren’t close to me.

I have not been a good caretaker for sick people for much of my life. This bothered me, because I felt ungrateful and selfish. But over time, I found that I am better. When my wife was sick, I did all her work and visited her in the hospital, and while it was hard, I never resented it. Well, maybe a little, but that’s no different from when I’m reading and someone interrupts me.

Later on, my wife took care of me when I was sick. Lately I have more and more friends who are sick, some of them deathly sick. We do what we can. Visiting, mostly. Sometimes bringing food. Others give them massages or make music tapes or just hang out. It doesn’t really matter.

I think most of us tend to do it because we love our family and friends. Maybe we feel an obligation, but that’s ok, too. We are all tied together, whether from duty or love or obligation. It doesn’t really matter. If you help someone so that someone will help you if you need it, that’s just good karma. You may need help in the future, and you might not. Meanwhile, you have helped someone, and people usually feel good about that whether or not they expect any return.

Helping people is like doing any kind of work from the goodness of your heart. Whether it’s volunteering at the homeless shelter or the dog shelter or the orchestra, matters not. What matters is that you do it. It also doesn’t matter why you do it. What matters is that you do do it.

I care for people when they are sick because I love them.
I don’t worry about the other stuff.

I actually care for people when they are sick (friend or relative) because I really do care. When I’m sick I very rarely let anyone know.

I’ve heard a few parents joke about having children so that they have someone to take care of them in their old age. Of course it isn’t true. No one can guarantee that taking care of one person will be reciprocated when it is their turn.

Many people seem to genuinely care about the well-being of others and want to help. They expect nothing in return. They do what they can in a time of need, be it a loved one, a friend, or simply because they are moved by the story of someone who needs help.

It is tough to tell who cares for whom.
But empathy is certainly a human characteristic.
So sometimes it is one, sometimes it is the other. But it doesn’t really matter.
But if you are worried about yourself, it is good to position yourself to be a source of someone’s concern, or at least not be so obnoxious that they do not feel empathy.

I genuinely care for people when I care, my care isn’t an act. I expect nothing from them in return, the reward is the feeling I get just knowing I cared and did what I could when I could.

Nurses and doctors care for people. I think we would do it free in any kind of disaster. However, I don’t go looking for sick people. My friends and family, of course.

When I do something good for someone, ultimately it’s because it makes me feel good. It’s like, when I do stuff for people, I really do it for myself. I guess that’s pretty bad, but eh what am I gonna do. Whatever the case, if I help someone, they get actual help, whatever the intent, so there’s at least that.

So why do we care for people? I’m certainly not gonna speak for anyone else.

@Seelix well that blows. If all would care only for family then this world won’t progress but it’s your way of seeing things.

@Hibernate – I don’t have the time, money or resources to care for others when they’re sick. It’s enough that I’m able to keep myself alive and healthy.

Riiight. Did i ask if one has enough money / time / love ? No.

I asked only if we care. But whatever :) Keep living your selfish life and try to enjoy it. Cheers.

I don’t think it’s at all selfish. Maybe I misunderstood your question. You asked whether we “care for” people who are sick. To me that means taking care of them, giving them medication, feeding them, etc.

If I walked past someone on the sidewalk who was hurt, of course I’d stop to help in any way I could. But I’m not going to notice that a guy on the subway has a cough and invite him to my house for some chicken soup.

If I had enough money, I’d donate to charities, including Alzheimer’s, cancer, and heart and stroke.
If I had time, I’d volunteer at a hospital.

How is it selfish to not do those things because I don’t have time or money? I’d really like to know how you think I can live my life unselfishly, because apparently I’m not. Really, some examples might help me to understand where you’re coming from.

See ? when you put it like that you do care and not about time or money it’s just the caring part. When one reads the other answer might think you are only selfish. More words made others understand better ^^

All right, I’ll give you that. Had you been here longer and known me better, I think you would have understood what I meant when I said “I don’t provide any care for people who aren’t close to me”.

Anyway, it’s not that I don’t care about people, just that I don’t care for them (as in providing care in the way that I mentioned in my previous post). The term “care” is a little ambiguous.

Is there a way to really know someone ? ^^ There’s a saying here in my country that says something like this: ” you cannot know someone to well even after you eat a full bag of salt with him”

Indeed care is ambiguous but one cannot say “i won’t care for non-friends/relative” the way you putted it first time or not provide some explanations.

There’s time for me to get to know older members but I have a feeling that most old members aren’t that active anymore so i’m not looking at the lurve number when i read answers because there’s only a slight possibility to get replies,

Anyway staying on topic.
Does it matter if we care or not ?