Does The Motivation Damn The Action?

Everyone knows that the ends do not justify the means; but I would like to talk about a related error. It is that of damning the action because of the motivation for the action.

I am involved with the Salvation Army, and sometimes people who are a part of charitable organizations get accused of having ulterior motives. My response is, Who cares? Whatever the motivation for the good deed, a good deed is done. So does it matter what motivates a person in doing it?

So a person may be motivated by atoning for feelings of guilt, or by wanting to feel good about himself, or by not wanting to go to hell, or by resume-building. Once again, the response is, So what? A good deed is still done, regardless of what motivates it.

We see the same thing with clean energy. Not everyone who is involved in it is motivated by future of humanity. Some are in it to make money. My response, once again, is So what? The oil people are also driven by money, and they make no apologies for it. Neither should such apology be demanded of people involved in clean energy who are there to make a buck.

Not all good deeds come from good motives. But whatever the motive, the good is still done. And it is important that good deeds be allowed whatever the motivation, so that the good is done, regardless of what motivates it.