In Defense of Selfishness

 Peter Schwartz

What’s in the book for you?

We all have at some point in time sacrificed personal interests for the good of others. Even though we have instincts not to do so, we suppress it to live in a society that prefers altruism over selfishness. Right from our school days, teachings and activities are aimed at making us altruistic. It’s our misconception of altruism and selfishness that has led us to such practices.

In Defense of Selfishness attempts to alter the prejudiced view of altruism and selfishness, and make you realize the necessity of living a selfish life.

Altruism exhorts self-sacrifice.

Altruistic mentality compels you to value other people’s interests over yours both in your professional and personal life. So you are subordinating yourself to others. When you surrender yourself to others’ needs, you lose your basic right to stand for yourself and your rights over your own wealth, time, and interests. Your resources are no longer yours but belong to the entire community. For example, the government employees of a state whose salary gets cut off as part of the relief program during any crisis period are victims of an altruistic mentality. People mostly accept these actions since this altruistic nature has almost become ingrained in their culture.

Altruism serves neither public nor personal interests.

Followers of altruism preach the false idea that society flourishes on individual sacrifices. So, an altruistic society promotes collective identity and gives no importance to individuals. This compels individuals to identify themselves as part of a collective community. Your identity as an individual is lost. You become selfless and conditioned to serve your society’s interests. This collective mentality could give rise to totalitarianism in a society.

Altruism destructs a society since it never actually serves the society. Though it aims at the welfare of the needy, it forever makes them dependent on others and therefore, results in continued exploitation of the resources for those who avail their needs. Thus, it restricts individual growth and never uplifts the economic condition of the society.

Altruism rules your thoughts.

The altruistic maxims overpower your mind and control your thoughts. A person who believes in altruism will no longer have their own opinions or decisions. One will decide the rights and wrongs of one’s life based on the doctrines of Altruism. Such a person blindly believes whatever the society preaches. The person loses the ability to think logically and gets easily manipulated by others.

Follow a selfish lifestyle.

As preached over the centuries, selfishness is not predatory behavior. It’s not to hurt others for your benefit. Selfishness makes you conscious of the importance of self, personal values, and ideas. This consciousness won’t let you sacrifice others for your needs. So, selfishness motivates you to treat others rationally.

Selfishness is based on rational and logical thought. Selfishness is not about being selfish occasionally. It’s a lifestyle to follow where you are in full-term commitment to rational thinking. The consciousness of the self regains your identity and dignity. You no longer will be a slave of public interest, which is a myth.

Altruism is based on mere compassion, it has no room for rational or logical thinking. Altruism even threatens your existence since you never get the opportunity to quench your interest. So, selfishness should be your guiding principle since it assures individual growth. Thereby, selfishness gives you long term happiness. You need not be guilty of being selfish since you are following a life-affirming lifestyle. Selfishness helps you survive.

Selfishness ensures individual freedom.

Selfishness promotes capitalism where an individual’s rights are regarded. In such societies where individual freedom is given importance, there is no possibility for a master-slave hierarchy.

In a capitalist society, an individual’s property and livelihood won’t be at stake for the sake of collective good. Such communities will have a republic government where the government has only limited power over its people. Thus, such a society ensures maximum productivity since people work independently and are not dependent on public welfare.

A society that believes in altruism cannot give you fundamental freedom. The idea of freedom is incompatible with altruism. Such a society will be unproductive since individuals don’t get the freedom to work for their own good. Altruism promotes inequality and thus results in slavery.

Despite the common interpretation, altruism is self-destructive. It makes an individual a mere robot that acts on the commands of the society. So, follow the doctrines of selfishness which will promise you rationality, individuality, and thereby long term happiness.

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