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Extremely obligated.

13 (12.9%)

Very obligated

21 (20.8%)

Moderately obligated.

23 (22.8%)

Slightly obligated.

12 (11.9%)

No obligation.

23 (22.8%)

Trash option for snarky answers.

9 (8.9%)

Total Members Voted: 99

[Pnx]

Depends a lot on the kind of help and such... I would say I often want to help even if I don't feel obligated to. And there's been situations where I want to help people even when I know it's probably a bad idea to do so.

That said wanting to help people, and feeling obligated to help people doesn't necessarily mean I do help them, I'm often very afraid of trying to help people for fear it's actually the wrong thing to do, or that it will backfire, or something else.

Then there's situations where helping someone or trying to just feels like pouring water on an oil fire.

[mastahcheese]

I'd like to say that I don't feel obligation towards it, and just help people because of a desire, but really, I guess it is a bit of an obligation for me.
I don't really like to say that, because I've always been told that obligations are a bad thing, even though I know that this is not always true.

I don't know, really, I guess I sort of view obligations in a weird light.

[Cheeetar]

I like being able to help people. Unless there is an explicit reason I should not help somebody, I'd like to think I'd go out my way quite a bit to help somebody. I put it down as 'extremely', because on the occasions in which I don't help people (who aren't jerks) I tend to feel really guilty.

[Bauglir]

I went with moderately, here. I'm not sure of the extent to which I might have some natural obligation, but I've decided that making this world better for other people in some capacity is what I want to live for. That said, I have a tendency not to go looking for people who need help, which means I wind up missing a lot of people who're uncomfortable asking for one reason or another, with the upside of not smothering people who're uncomfortable being asked. Striking the balance, though, is hard, and I also tend to wind up being pretty selfish in day-to-day life. I have yet to do much of anything meaningful that didn't come with a big heaping side of benefits for me that were more of a factor in the decision. So, between ideals and practicality, moderate is probably the way to go here.

[Mr Space Cat]

I can't decide between a serious answer and the snarky trash answer in the poll. Conflicting. Emotions. Halp.

By the way kaijyuu, there's a typo in your title. "How obligated do you feel you are you to help others?"

I'm helpful, see.

[itisnotlogical]

I feel that if I'm able to help someone, then I should. Not to say that I don't have common sense, for example I wouldn't lend tons of money to somebody who never pays me back, but by and large I don't mind helping people. And if it comes down to helping someone or letting one of my own obligations slide, then I'll watch out for myself first and do my best next time around.

[Ochita]

Chose Very obligated, generally will take some time to make sure that people are okay, even if I dont actually know them. Of course there are limits, like if the person is generally being a jerk or if they've hurt me in the past.

[Jelle]

Slightly obligated. For those moments you legally have to help. Other than that I feel a helping hand is far to often taken for granted.

[Biowraith]

I selected very obligated.  Although, I don't feel obligated exactly, it's more a compulsion than a sense of duty - if I see someone having trouble with something and I know how to resolve it I feel a strong urge to do so.

That said I'm also very shy and withdrawn so although I often feel the urge to help someone I don't always act on that urge.  And over the years I've learned that I have to look out for myself too, since others will - often unconsciously - take advantage of my nature in that regard.

It also varies with the type of thing I'd be helping them with.  I feel that urge most strongly when it's helping someone figure something out - providing information, or showing them how to use a system, stuff like that - even if it's someone I dislike or who's mistreated me before I'll still feel a strong desire to help out with something like that.  On the other hand I feel very little desire to e.g. donate to charity.

[LordSlowpoke]

contrary to what it might seem like i am once in a while tempted to make people happier or just help out and shit

except i'm terrible at it and end up either making an ass out of myself or getting in way over my head and bailing the fuck out because i do not simply commitment

i suppose i'm just made to not help

[LordBucket]

I want to distinguish between the person who'd give food for warm fuzzies and the
person who'd give food because they feel it's the Right thing to do.

That seems a slightly different question to me. If they do it for warm fuzzies, their help is motivated by expectation of personal reward: warm fuzzies. If you help that old woman cross the road, I'll give you $100. If you help that old woman cross the road, you'll feel good. Both are of personal benefit.

It's a little different to help because one chooses to help.

[Graknorke]

I want to distinguish between the person who'd give food for warm fuzzies and the
person who'd give food because they feel it's the Right thing to do.

That seems a slightly different question to me. If they do it for warm fuzzies, their help is motivated by expectation of personal reward: warm fuzzies. If you help that old woman cross the road, I'll give you $100. If you help that old woman cross the road, you'll feel good. Both are of personal benefit.

It's a little different to help because one chooses to help.

But choices are based on reward anyway. As in, the conditioning type. You choose the option that gives the biggest reward or smallest punishment.

[Jimmy]

First, we approach the question from the position that there is no greater intelligence watching us to punish or reward our actions. If a person believes in an omnipotent force judging them for their actions to see if they're fit to get into heaven or be reincarnated into a higher form it diminishes the value of their altruistic motivations.

Then we weigh the obligations of an individual within a society against the desire to fulfill one's personal desires. We can have an easy and comfortable life by forgoing the willingness to consider others and simply taking what we want when we want it, but this will understandably be met with swift punishment by society. Ultimately we have a level of obligation to our fellow man through the functions of human social structures. We pay taxes that support welfare, subsidized health care, etc. We allow elected officials to take our money and spend it on other people we don't know and don't care about because it's the right thing to do.

So ultimately I answered this question by saying that I have no obligation. I already fulfill the expected contributions to my fellow human beings through my actions of working within society and paying taxes towards the betterment of my fellow countrymen. I see no reason I should be expected to provide more than this.

[IcyTea31]

I do not feel obliged to help anyone in anything. While I do like helping others and often do, I always have something behind it, be it gaining social favour, money or just feeling happy for helping. Still, I do understand that I wouldn't have to, if I didn't want to, though there may be repercussions.

[kaijyuu]

By the way kaijyuu, there's a typo in your title. "How obligated do you feel you are you to help others?"

I'm helpful, see.

Fix'd.