Long term growth vs short term gain. Person B reflects and realizes they spent the day trying to be perfect, since they have good intention, and thus will reflect on their actions in an effort to improve. Next day they stop trying to be perfect and instead act.

Of course, both getting hit by a bus tomorrow makes my argument null, since it’s predicated on long term growth over short term gain. But most people aren’t getting hit by a bus tomorrow.

What is the intent in each case? I perform one act today with selfish intent that happens to help someone, but what about tomorrow? Or the next day? Am I improving on the act to see if I can help more people tomorrow? Not with selfish intent I’m not.

Today I tried with good intention to help someone. It doesn’t work. But, my true intent is to help- so I learn from my mistake today because I genuinely care, and tomorrow I now help one person with my act. I continue to improve and grow as a person, and over the next few years, I am helping out many others and bringing joy into the lives of those around me, inspiring others to also live their lives with good intention, creating a ripple effect.

I believe that is much more important than any kind of selfish intent, no matter how much the selfish act happened to help today.

I disagree. Does only the end goal matter? Or does intention also matter?

I would argue that intent is actually more important in the long run. I could perform an act today that helps people, but if my intent wasn’t to help people, then the act will be singular. There will be no “drive” toward greater acts that help even more people. No continuous improvement. No learning from mistakes and growing. Why? Because if I don’t actually care about helping people, none of that background stuff is happening which actually moves you toward your goals in the long run

Question: can he actually do anything?

I know this is dadjokes, and maybe I’m just being a stickler, but I’m really just tired of the whole “you see scary hallucinations on psychedelics” trope. Maybe because mushrooms have been key to me finally finding peace and joy in my life, and I don’t like when misconceptions about these wonderful drugs spread over the internet.

Really what it comes down to is fear. Fear of something unknown (or even a fear of yourself - repressed homosexuality) breeds hatred. Violence is externalized hatred, which is the ego’s attempt at quelling the fear.

It sounds corny, but the moment folks stop allowing fear to govern their behavior and actions, is the moment when love (lack of fear) can start becoming the norm.