Self interest rightly understood VS altruism - Essay Example

Self-Interest Rightly Understood VS Altruism The thesis of the essay is the need for Americans to combat selfishness through the altruistic belief in self-interest. Although every man should have their own self-interest and private life, there is the need to do pursue such interests in a virtuous manner that does not affect the endeavors of other citizens. Everyone can learn and retain the principle of self-interest rightly understood and master the belief in and practice of unbiased and altruistic concern for the welfare of others.

Altruism necessitates people to sacrifice their time and resources to assist other Americans. One important point of self-interest rightly understood and altruism is the concept of private life, in which everybody has his or her own life to live and ambitions to achieve. Although everybody has his or her own life, the principle of self-interest rightly understood underlies the concept of mutual interdependency among a democratic American society. Another important point is the admirable conformity of self-interest to human weaknesses.

It is easy to learn and retain the traits of altruism and combine personal interests towards a common good that override selfish interests of individuality. An example of the concept of self-interest rightly understood is its self-regarding nature that connects a person’s private life with that of others in the society. The article mentions that it is a remedy to unnecessary individualism and self-centeredness. Self-interest rightly understood encourages collectivism regarding altruism in a way that convinces people that their actions in the society still come back to them and affect their private life.

The article cites Montaigne who mentions that virtuousness results in happiness in the society. This confirms that a person’s private interest should be to do well and adhere to the traditional doctrine of interest towards common good. Work Cited How the Americans Combat Individualism by the Principle of Self-Interest Rightly Understood