The greater good & feeling good

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By avoiding animal products, by becoming vegan, I came to feel good about my decision. My stomach felt more comfortable, my conscience lighter and, of what little of it I have, my brain felt sharper.
This question of ‘good’, what is it? And especially what does it feel like, ‘working for the greater good’? I do things which make me feel good because they’re altruistically-intended – which means that, in some of the things I’m doing, I’m not in it for myself only. It’s like being actively involved in promoting non-violence – I’m starting ‘at-home’ by trying to see the best in others rather than their weaknesses, and breaking that bad habit I have of value-judging people who don’t agree with me.
I notice I’m not consistent about this - when I really like someone, all their virtues are great and all their bad points insignificant. How subjective is that? My aim is, anyway, to be sowing seeds that are going to flower later - I think that’s what I mean by working for the greater good. If I’d ever done anything good in my life, I’m sure the results wouldn’t show up till after I’m dead.
It might be like that for Animals Rights. Perhaps it’s an end-product of some as-yet-unspecified set of changes taking place in the human psyche. Animals-being-liberated might not come about until certain other preliminaries have been gone through ... and it’s likely those will take time - again, likely to be after many of us are dead. So, today is not about impatiently chasing change but about laying foundation stones for future change (of course, with no delay, for there are so many to lay). From the point of view of ‘The Greater Good’, it’s essential we act now for the sake of the future … but most particularly so we can start to ‘feel-good’ about ourselves … now.
If we don’t care about what’s coming (“I won’t be around to see it”), we won’t be interested in long term planning ... and we won’t be interested in the concept of altruism - it will be meaningless. Instead, self-image will be more important ... and that would include seeming to be good. But just seeming good doesn’t guarantee anything much, least of all being liked. I go around displaying lots of ‘goodness’ at every conceivable opportunity. To others it probably seems like I’m sub-consciously bragging or boasting about it … so, very sensibly, I’m someone to be avoided. At the other extreme is a person with genuine humility who does, overall, a much better job. But in the end, it’s the depth of our commitment (to being good) which will eventually be tested. As a natural boaster I should try to act more anonymously, whereas those who are not boasters are safer, but less visible. Neither look good on paper. Both are a BIG turn off. ‘Being good’ is either too long-term or goes too unnoticed. For many vibrant animal activists neither of these potted altruisms appeal. They don’t sit well with their own driving passion … in this case, to protect animals … which is why they take a more antagonistic, direct approach.
For most animal advocates I suspect it all starts with passion. It starts with deep emotions, like outrage, compassion, sensitivity, hatred. Some get loud. We boast. And we suffer for it later; some of us wrestle with faith, about altruism and never seeing the reward for it. Don’t we all go down these paths?
When taking the high moral ground, I try my best to keep myself out of the picture. I don’t want to be thought of as being up my self. But there again ….