"Why is it moral to serve the happiness of others, but not your own? ..." - Ayn Rand

Posted by GaltsGulch 8 years, 5 months ago to Pics

"Why is it moral to serve the happiness of others, but not your own? If enjoyment is a value, why is it moral when experienced by others, but immoral when experienced by you?" - Ayn Rand

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Posted by Solver 8 years, 5 months ago

Altruism is an individual choice. Social altruism is not. Methods of social altruism are immoral to individuals.

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Posted by james464 8 years, 5 months ago

Isn't enjoyment only a value if one were to define it as such? To one, enjoyment may be devalued while others value it.

Regardless of the above, how can morality be defined within a system of subjectively such as Objectivism developed within man himself? One man's morality is another man's immorality correct?

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Posted by broskjold22 8 years, 5 months ago

The only goal to give of oneself to others is one's own satisfaction. Altruism consistently practiced is nihilism. More often, this anti-concept is used - as SaltyDog says - as an excuse to convince others to do something hypocritical or perverse.

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  Posted by james464 8 years, 5 months ago
  
  I'll do you one better...everything is nihilism without God.
  
  Without God to set meaning, how is any immutable meaning determined?
  
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    Posted by broskjold22 8 years, 5 months ago
    
    Existence exists.
    
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Posted by CircuitGuy 8 years, 5 months ago

This quote stood out to me when I first read it. If it's good for person A to serve person B, why is it wrong for person B to do the exact same thing? Why does it matter who's doing it? Of course it does not matter.

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  Posted by james464 8 years, 5 months ago
  
  You make my point....nothing matters without an external source of meaning.
  
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"Why is it moral to serve the happiness of others, but not your own? ..." - Ayn Rand

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