Humans are by nature a very selfish species in my opinion, but that of course doesn't mean we can't care for others. Most of the time, though, this other person has to be a significant person in our lives one way or the other. He has to be a close friend, a family member, someone who's worth your time. He has to be of value to you before we step in action. That's where the selfishness in our lives lies. Helping a friend is a no-brainer, while helping an unknown stranger gets a lot more difficult for many. But in the end they're both just a person with a beating heart.
I'm not selfish at all though. 99% of my time is spent improving the lives of my children. That is my primary motivation.
I wouldn't be improving myself, building wealth, and running on these disgusting hamster wheels of mine if I didn't love my children and do it for them.
Nothing wrong with realising how selfish you are. The world would be a better place if people looked after themselves more. All those things that you have mentioned above are in actual fact selfish to some degree. Your children are lucky that you are so selfish in that sense.
It's selfish for me to want to keep the reward for my labor and give it to my children? It is not selfish at all to live your life for the sake of your loved ones. Perhaps we have different definitions of the word. It seems words can be defined as pretty much anything these days.
Not a different definition, just a different understanding. The people who think selfishness is bad don't want you to keep the reward of your labour, they want to re-distribute it, and they don't care about your family getting less, because it means they get more. Maybe you think being selfish is a negative thing, I don't.
Maybe "self interest" and "selfish" are subtly different, to me, they are fundamentally the same. Apologies, you seem offended by it. Keep doing what your doing, I shouldn't have commented.
No, you are right. I misunderstood and apologize. I have been running into a lot of people lately who are against private property and for redistribution.
lol me too
I might write something along these lines later. If I do, mind if I quote a bit?
Go ahead! I'm looking forward to what you'll write about it :)