Galt's Gulch

Be Thankful for Selfishness, Greed, and Passion

Posted by sdesapio 10 years, 5 months ago to Philosophy
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"We have so much to be thankful for in the United States, despite all the things that have gone wrong in the last few years: the economy, wars, and some really bad and nasty politics coupled with horrendous policy decisions. Within all of this, there has been a constant undercurrent of anti-capitalism. The anti-business and anti-independent thought movement has spread so wide and so loud that Marx himself would be proud."
SOURCE URL: http://blog.panampost.com/frank-worley-lopez/2013/11/27/thankful-selfishness-greed-passion/

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  • Posted by Eriel 10 years, 5 months ago
    An egregious error, and common. You justify selfishness by pointing out that it often serves others' needs. Or rather, you accept it as moral WHEN it serves others' needs. Bill Gate's selfishness is OK because of what it "gave us." Ditto for Steve Jobs, Dave Thomas and Henry Ford. Theirs is "the good kind" of selfishness, "the kind that creates medical advances, builds better cars and roads and computers." So we can allow, indeed we should applaud the "blood, time, sweat, tears" of the creators amongst us, not because they have a right to the pursuit of happiness, but because in that pursuit they help society: "we have all benefited from them one way or another."

    This is closet altruism of the worst kind. Selfishness deserves better.
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    • Posted by $ MikeMarotta 10 years, 5 months ago
      I agree with you, Eriel, and I also gave it my Thumbs Up. It is impossible to say everything in 500 words and the point made was valid. Adam Smith said the same thing in the opening to "The Wealth of Nations." We all benefit from the selfishness of others. It is not false to say that. It is not the fundamental truth of social living, but it is a consequential truth.

      (Note also that the writer is a leader of his local Libertarian Party. Even though they admit to being "influenced" by Ayn Rand, Libertarians are not Objectivists. Myself, I do not like cranberry sauce, but I would not pass up Thanksgiving Dinner just because it is on the table.)
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    • Posted by Rozar 10 years, 5 months ago
      Agreed. Even anti socialists still accept the socialist mind set, they just want to do it differently. Another flaw of democracy. If you argue that people should be selfish, you have to convince the majority that it will help them. Otherwise they won't vote for it. Something I retained from when I was a communist was that you can't force it through the barrel of a gun. That for almost any form of politics to work, you either have to force people to follow it, or convince the vast majority to follow it. Otherwise the majority will overthrow your system. Through arms or through voting. You will never convince everyone to follow your morals, and you can only keep them at bay with force for so long.

      To fully argue against socialism you must fully commit yourself to the idea that the individual should be free. Both free from oppression and free to choose what's best for their life. Accept anarchy for the individual, and fight for anarchy fit the society. All other forms of politics attempt to differentiate society from the individual. And they all fail.
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  • Posted by $ Susanne 10 years, 5 months ago
    For it's what generates the prosperity we all enjoy, and keeps humanity on a forward momentum from darkness to greatness!

    Thank you, Mr. D., for this amaing post, and for this amazing site which generates hope and happiness to many of us! May you have a happy, blessed, and prosperous Thanksgiving! Sus
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