There is absolutely nothing wrong in feeling good when you’ve done something good.
Bloody hell. If that’s being selfish then some folk have a cock eyed view of life.
Psychological egoism theory my arse.
Come on Steve, I never said it's wrong to feel good when you’ve done something good. Read my post again.
This is a typical example of people "reading" what they want to read rather than reading what it says.
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Whenever I approach this subject people usually view the concept of Psychological Egoism negatively simply because of the word "egoism." They often react like Stevelondon because they associate egoism with selfishness or some kind of moral failing. I'm talking about a philosophical theory and within that context it's useful to view "egoism" in a positive light, as I believe it aligns with the concept of self preservation which is an essential aspect of human nature (actually not just humans but all living organisms.)
Acting in one's self-interest doesn't mean you don't care for others; instead I view it as a way to enhance our ability to contribute positively to the lives of others. Let's have an example, on airplanes we are always advised to put on our own oxygen mask first before helping others. This is a prime example of how helping oneself first can enable you to help others better. If one was completely 100% altruistic you would put the oxygen mask on other people first which means you run the risk of losing consciousness and therefore not able to help anyone else; least of all you.
Another usual saying is the love parents have for their children if completely selfless, but is it? If we look at another way, and especially from an evolutionary biology point of view it could be argued that parents are driven to protect and nurture their children to ensure the survival of their genes. This can be interpreted as a form of self-preservation on a genetic level, where the care for our children ensures the continuation of our genetic lineage.
This is very controversial, I had a few female friends outraged when I mentioned a parent's love for their children may be selfish rather than selfless. They maintain that as mothers not only do they care for their children selflessly but would care for any child likewise. When this happens I usually post a question that goes like this: Imagine two children are being swept away by a river, one of them is your child, you can only save one. Which one do you save?
None of this is conscious, of course, as I believe our reactions are based on our core "animalistic" feelings. The reason people react badly to the suggestion of psychological egoism is also because us humans tend to "romanticise" (for lack of a better word) everything including our emotions. Not only do we romanticise emotions but we also create complex systems of laws and societal rules to moderate our raw instincts associated with self-preservation. This is the only way to maintain social order and prevent chaos. Imagine if we had no laws, no regulations, no religion, no moral rules; our unchecked animalistic behaviours would inevitably lead to conflict and a complete breakdown of society.
So we romanticise our feelings and make ourselves feel better by saying things like love is selfless.
OK I'll stop now as I know I'm pissing people off by having radical ideas of our very complex human nature.
