Ok people. I knew this time would come and I would have to write this essay, but I truly believe that there is no such thing as an altruistic act. Everything you do has some sort of reward -- where it is making you happy to help someone out, feeling superior than others for doing something they wouldn't do, or putting an activity on a resume. Every act has a reward.
SO If i write this on my OSU application. Give me definition of altruism, say how no one ever displays true altruism, but there are incidents that are close to true selfishness -- such as helping out someone, with no actual reward (except feeling better about yourself) -- and then give examples of when I have been close to true altruism. Do you think that should be OK? I truly believe that this is a BS essay where everyone is lying -- hell, the fact that you write about a time that you displayed altruism no longer makes it an altruistic act because you are "bragging" about. I am so confused.
So has anyone ever heard of someone getting into OSU saying that they never actually did an altruistic act?? Or should I really just BS for the sake of getting an interview. <sigh>