Healthy egoism: why being an egoist is useful and not shameful

Ethics of duty and the categorical imperative. Kant.

Debt cannot be derived from personal experience, since the empirical subject is always selfish.
Debt cannot be determined by collective experience, since a community of people always experiences a clash of opposing interests. Therefore, Kant considers the morally obligatory as an a priori property of human consciousness, as autonomous and not conditioned by anything. According to Kant, there is a certain moral law that has the self-evident property of imperativeness, i.e. obligatory for any person. Kant distinguishes two types of imperatives: hypothetical, i.e. requirements conditioned by some external considerations (goal, interest, usefulness) and categorical, which prescribe proper behavior regardless of any conditions. The former have nothing to do with morality; only categorical imperatives express what is due as such, an unchangeable and universal moral law. The first formulation of the categorical imperative reads: “Act only in accordance with such a maxim, guided by which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law.” The second formulation: “Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, both in your own person and in the person of everyone else, as an end, and never treat it as a means. Thus, if a person’s duty is to recognize, apply moral standards to the specific situation in which he finds himself, and practically implement them, then the question is to what extent this task is fulfilled or to what extent a person is guilty of not fulfilling it is a question of personal responsibility. Consequently, responsibility is the correspondence of an individual’s moral activity to his duty, considered from the point of view of the individual’s capabilities. The concept of the categorical imperative

“...don’t do to people what you don’t want for yourself, and then the state and family won’t feel hostile towards you.”

Categorical imperative (from Latin imperativus - imperative), a term introduced by I. Kant and denoting the fundamental law, or rule, of his ethics. It has two formulations: “... act only in accordance with such a maxim, guided by which you at the same time can wish for it to become a universal law” (Kant I., Soch., vol. 4, part 1, M., 1965, p. 260) and “...act in such a way that you always treat humanity, both in your own person and in the person of everyone else, as an end and never treat it only as a means” (ibid., p. 270). The first formulation expresses the formal understanding of ethics characteristic of Kant, the second limits this formalism. According to Kant, the categorical imperative is a universal, generally binding principle that should guide all people, regardless of their origin, position, etc.

In these sentences, four types of logical objects mentioned in the judgment can be distinguished. This

- the subject himself;

- its maxims, foundations, rules;

- his actions, judgments;

- universal norms of behavior, laws.

Accordingly, in order to analyze these sentences, we need first of all to establish the exact meaning of all these terms, and first of all to clarify the concepts of law and maxim.

Morality, according to Kant, is the sphere of human freedom, whose will here is autonomous and determined by himself. To give this will a morally positive meaning, it is necessary to coordinate it with the highest moral law - the categorical imperative, since only good will is capable of making the right choice. The most famous formulation of the categorical imperative looks like this: “Do only! according to such a maxim, guided by which, you can at the same time wish that it should become a universal law.” The universality of moral requirements recorded in this case is undoubtedly a specific characteristic of morality, but it is very problematic as a criterion for distinguishing between good and evil in real life practice, since any subjective choice is possible if desired. presented as a general norm.

Selfishness and awareness

Have you noticed that people who have specific goals and clear priorities are often called selfish? If you think like this, then almost every successful person is an egoist. And all because without awareness there is no success, and a conscious life is simply impossible without a bit of selfishness: you have to say “no” to everything that does not bring benefit and pleasure. And what’s even more important is that you begin to learn to refuse all those who try to impose their views, load you with unnecessary information and/or work, etc. Thus, awareness allows you to clearly understand what you really need, and healthy egoism allows you to get rid of everything else.

Related article: The magic word “no”: how to learn to refuse and why it is important

Examples of reasonable egoism

In everyday life, the behavior of a “reasonable egoist” is not always welcomed, and he is often declared simply an egoist. In our society, refusing a request is considered indecent, and from childhood a feeling of guilt is formed in the one who allowed himself such “liberty.” However, a competent refusal can become a clear example of correct behavior, which will not be superfluous to learn. Here are just some examples of reasonable selfishness from life.

1. Additional work needs to be done
   . Your boss is insisting that you stay late today to complete work that you did not do and for which you will not be paid. You can agree, canceling plans and ruining relationships with loved ones, but if you use the principle of reasonable selfishness, overcoming the feeling of fear and awkwardness, calmly explain to your boss that there is no way to reschedule (cancel) your plans. In most cases, your explanations will be understood and accepted.
2. My wife needs money for another new dress.
   In some families, it has become a tradition that the spouse demands money to buy a new dress, although the closet is full of clothes. Objections are strictly not accepted. She begins to accuse her husband of stinginess, lack of love, sheds tears, in fact, blackmails her husband. You can give in, but will this only increase love and gratitude on her part?

It is better to explain to the wife that the money has been set aside to buy a new engine for the car in which her husband takes her to work every day, and not only the good performance of the car, but also the health and life of the passengers depends on this purchase. At the same time, you should not pay attention to tears, screams and threats to go to your mother. Reasonable egoism should prevail in this situation.

An old friend once again asks to borrow money

. He promises to return them in a week, although it is known that he will give them back no earlier than six months later. It is inconvenient to refuse, but in this way you can deprive your child of the promised trip to the children's center. What's more important? Don’t shame or “educate” your friend - it’s useless, but explain that you can’t leave your child without rest, especially since he’s been looking forward to this trip for a long time.

The given examples reveal two positions of the relationship that require thorough correction. Relations between people are still built on the superiority of the demanding or asking and the uncomfortable state of the one from whom they are asking. Although the theory has existed for more than two hundred years, reasonable egoism is still difficult to take root in society, which is why situations prevail:

• the one who needs something insists, demands, blackmails, shouts, accuses of greed;
• the one who is addressed makes excuses, explains, listens to unpleasant words addressed to him, and experiences a feeling of guilt.

Based on Tatyana Rusina’s training “I love myself!”

Is selfishness good or bad? Well, it depends...

Today we will talk about healthy rational egoism , which can be very useful and effective.

Egoist or altruist?

Fish looks for where it is deeper, and man looks for where it is better.

Our culture has a very negative attitude towards selfishness. We have altruists - these are people who do everything for others, and they are good. And there are egoists who do everything for themselves, and therefore they are bad.

Who is an egoist? This is a person who lives for his own benefit and first of all thinks about himself, and then about other people.

If we speak from a position of self-love, then it is very important to understand that healthy rational egoism is the most effective thing that can be, and on what the life of a happy, full-fledged person is actually built!

People who shift their attention to other people and do not live their lives are, in fact, deeply unhappy. It’s as if they live half-life, giving all of themselves to other people. But in fact, there are very few such spiritual, enlightened people for whom altruism is their mission, their main task.

In the ordinary world, people who position themselves as complete altruists and live for other people usually behave like victims and say “I’m here all for you.” But then they still try to demand some kind of bonuses.

So reasonable egoism is very beneficial for everyone : for the person, for his loved ones, and for society as a whole. After all, when a person is happy, his loved ones are happy, then society as a whole has to be more harmonious.

Principles of reasonable egoism

There are 2 basic principles of healthy egoism:

1. Long-termism is long-term reasonable care , first of all, about yourself, and then about other people.

2. Profitability is the ability to easily and clearly do what brings long-term personal benefit, and the ability to refuse what does not bring such long-term personal benefit.

Reasonable egoists are focused on long-term relationships. It is much more profitable to deal with them than with people who do not consider themselves selfish and are looking for short-term gain.

For example:

• In business . A reasonable egoist will not deceive you, let you down, or plot behind your back simply because he is building relationships for the long term. And in the long run, it is always more beneficial for a person to maintain a good relationship with you as a partner.
• In family relationships. You live with such a reasonable egoist, and for him it is very important to create a high-quality, happy life around himself. And then he invests in a relationship with you, builds it on the basis of trust and intimacy. It is simply not beneficial for him for this relationship to end!
• In the field of health. Let's say you can take n**ki or drink vodka and get high for a short time. But in the long run this is very unprofitable! And a rational egoist will never do something that is unprofitable for him in the long run. It is much more effective to lead a healthy lifestyle.
• In matters of law. An egoist will not break the law not because he is a strongly moral person, but simply because it is unprofitable. Well, he gets caught with some kind of violation, and then he faces a fine, sanctions, prison in the end... Who needs this?

But what about complete egoists?

A complete egoist (there are many of them around) is actually not an egoist, he is a fool. This is a person who does not calculate in advance any options that he cannot see beyond his nose.

The person we call a reasonable egoist sees many steps forward. And he can, for example, sacrifice his momentary “highs” if it will be more profitable for him in the future.

But a complete egoist wants everything here and now, so to speak, “shits for himself.” Now he shit himself, and he felt better for five minutes. And so all my life...

Therefore, the difference between such egoists is obvious!

Become selfish!

Sometimes people follow the lead of different moral standards: “I was asked...”. Or they kill for three kopecks, invest a huge amount of resources, since it was inconvenient to refuse.

Well, what does it mean to refuse awkwardly?!

That's why→

Learn to choose what will be more profitable and interesting for you in the long term. And refuse, say “no” to what will not bring you benefits.

Otherwise it will be more expensive for yourself

What is the beauty of reasonable egoism? In such a state, it is simply unprofitable to deceive someone, betray someone, or harm someone. Everyone around such an egoist wins.

Usually an egoist doesn’t really want to live with unhappy people who beg for something. Therefore, he builds preventive connections in advance and takes measures to ensure that there are healthy, happy and successful people around him. He creates such a circle of communication around himself, and he easily refuses that circle of communication that pulls him down.

Exercise:

Think about it: “if I loved myself and was a reasonable selfish person, would I do this, or would I take a different path? What is more beneficial for me in the long run?

At the “Living for Love” intensive, we are working on how to love ourselves and become such a reasonable egoist.

Have a nice day and see you soon!

With love, Tatyana Rusina.

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Useful

The principle of reasonable egoism in business communication

It is known that business communication is built on its own rules, dictated by personal or corporate benefit. It provides profitable solutions to issues that allow you to get the greatest profit and establish long-term relationships with the most useful business partners. Such communication has its own ethical standards and principles, which the business community has formulated and identified five main ones:

• positivity;
• reasonable selfishness;
• predictability of actions;
• status differences;
• relevance.

In accordance with the issue under consideration, the principle of reasonable egoism attracts attention. It implies a respectful attitude towards the partner and his opinion, while clearly formulating and defending one’s own (or corporate) interests

The same principle can apply in the workplace of any employee: do your job without stopping others from doing theirs.

The world is built on selfishness

There are hardly a dozen true altruists in the entire history of man. No, we in no way belittle the merits and merits of the many benefactors and heroes of our species, but, to be completely honest, altruistic actions also come from the desire to satisfy one’s ego. For example, a volunteer enjoys his work and increases his self-esteem (“I’m doing a good deed”). By helping a relative with money, you relieve your own concern for him, which is also partly a selfish motive. There is no need to deny this or try to change it, because it is not bad. Healthy egoism is inherent in every intelligent and developed person; it is the engine of progress. If you do not become a hostage to your desires and do not ignore the needs of others, this selfishness can be considered reasonable.

Who are egoists?

Before considering the question of whether selfishness is a bad or a good character trait, it is necessary to define who selfish people are. In the dictionary, the word egoism is interpreted as a character trait that forms a type of behavior in which a person aims to satisfy his own needs and wants and puts his own interests above the interests of others.

That is, egoists are people who live as they want and do what they want, without taking into account the desires of others. Egoism among the common people is often confused with egocentrism, but in fact these concepts are not identical.

Egocentrism is characterized by a person’s inability to perceive any opinion that diverges from his point of view. Based on this definition, we can conclude that egocentrism can be inherent in an egoist, but not always, because many people who put their interests above the needs of others can still listen to others, perceive their arguments, admit mistakes and change their point of view.

The complete opposite of selfishness is altruism - the willingness to perform selfless acts for the benefit of other people, without taking into account personal interests and desires.

Altruism and selfishness are, at first glance, complete opposites, but in fact, both of these character traits are inherent to almost all people to one degree or another, since in some situations even the kindest and most selfless can behave selfishly, and in some they are selfish capable of altruistic actions.

Egoism: what is it, is it good or bad to be an egoist - examples of selfishness

The opinion has long been established in society that an egoist is a very bad person. From childhood, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers raise their children in the spirit - deny yourself, but share with a friend. If a child shows reluctance to live and act in the interests of others, he is generously rewarded with reproachful glances and instructive statements about how bad he is.

As a result of growing up, a person comes to terms with his fate and the understanding that he is no one. That being selfish is bad.

Fortunately, not all parents do this, and not all children become anti-egoists. In modern society you can find many who, as a tribute to fashion, raise children according to the principle - you are the best, and the rest are nobody. This practice is also in most cases not correct and can offend the interests of other people.

Where can you find that golden mean when you can live for your own pleasure and not offend anyone? There is an opinion that you need to learn to separate super-egoism and reasonable egoism.

Important: Selfishness is behavior in which a person puts his own interests above the interests of others. At the same time, on the way to the goal, a person hurts the interests of other people and does not take into account the opinions of others at all.

Examples of selfishness:

1. An egoist considers himself better than everyone else, period.
2. An egoist knows only two opinions - his own and the wrong one.
3. The egoist is indifferent to many, but he puts himself above all.
4. An egoist cannot enter into the position of another person.
5. He waits and is sure that they should give in to him, but he himself will not do it.
6. In any of his actions he seeks benefit or openly demands it.
7. Goes ahead, regardless of the fact that it hurts others.
8. He demands love and respect for his own person, while he himself cannot offer anything in return, and does not consider it necessary.

Egoist - who is it?
There is still a golden mean between superegoism and self-abasement. It's called healthy egoism.

Important: Healthy selfishness is the ability to live in your own interests, without contradicting the interests of others. Behavior in which a person knows how to find a balance between his desires and the opinions of other people.

Examples of healthy egoism:

1. A person with a healthy sense of selfishness gives primary attention to his interests, while he understands that other people have opinions and takes them into account.
2. He is not afraid to express his opinion, even when it does not coincide with the opinions of others.
3. Respects the wishes of the partner, but does not betray his principles.
4. When choosing in favor of yourself, you are not tormented by feelings of guilt later.
5. He knows how to refuse if the offer does not suit him.
6. He also knows how to accept refusal, doing it without offense or complaints.
7. Such a person is ready to compromise.
8. He knows how to refuse what, in his opinion, can cause harm.

Selfishness is neither good nor bad. Each of us must have healthy selfishness. It is incorrect to condemn a person for being an egoist. The only thing is that not everyone can come to terms with the degree of selfishness in a certain person. If a person is over-egoistic, this can have a negative impact not only on the people around him, but also on his own life.

Many people are accustomed to the mistaken belief that being selfish is great. Such people go ahead, and all doors open for them. Actually this is not true. It's great to be a reasonable or healthy egoist. Such a person can build his life in such a way as to maintain good relationships with others and not live at the expense of himself.

The price for over-egoism is loneliness. People who are over-egoistic cannot build trusting relationships. Their acquaintances end in superficial communication; even close people may turn away sooner or later, because such behavior is socially unacceptable.

Is selfishness good or bad?

Is selfishness good or bad?

Nature has designed it in such a way that all living beings are primarily guided by instincts aimed at survival and the preservation of the species,
and this rule is no exception.
Both animals and people instinctively strive to fulfill their own needs and are ready to compete with representatives of their own and other species for the right to possess resources. Therefore, selfishness is an innate character trait of a person,
since it is precisely this that allows one to realize the needs associated with ensuring life and establishing one’s own status in society.

However, people are a social species, and in isolation from society, the development of a person’s personality is impossible. It is precisely in order to make the living of each individual in society comfortable that so-called social contracts were formed - unwritten rules and norms governing the interaction of members of society with each other. Altruism, mutual assistance, guardianship and protection of the weakest and resolution of conflicts through compromise are important components of the social contract

in human society, since they provide a comfortable and safe life for each individual member of society.

Based on the above, it becomes obvious that selfish behavior is the norm for a person, however, every member of society must restrain his selfish impulses in order

And the most important thing for every person is to be able to find a balance between selfishness and altruism so as to be able to realize their needs and goals and at the same time not infringe on others

Distortions in behavior both towards selfishness and altruism are always fraught with negative consequences for the individual

. A person who always adheres to a selfish line of behavior and at the same time infringes on the interests of others, sooner or later risks becoming an outcast in society and losing all his friends and relatives, since no one will tolerate a notorious egoist around for long. And people who are always ready to give up their own interests for the sake of others can very quickly find themselves, as their kindness will begin to be taken advantage of without giving anything in return. A striking example of what excessive altruism leads to are women in relationships with tyrants, alcoholics and drug addicts. These women spend their time and vitality trying to please their partner and save him, but in the end they only have a crippled psyche and undermined physical health.

It is obvious that selfishness is a necessary character trait for every person, since it is it that allows people to realize their needs,

achieve your goals and find your happiness. But still, each person must behave in such a way that, while satisfying his desires, he does not infringe on other members of society. And it is precisely this line of behavior that modern psychologists call reasonable egoism.

What is the essence of egoism?

Primitive egoism prevents a person from being happy. Reasonable selfishness allows you to improve your quality of life and become a happier person. Why?

The fact is that selfishness is inherent in every person who lives on our planet. We all live in a society and must take into account the interests of other people, but in most cases our own interests must be placed above public interests.

Almost our entire life is a constant clash of our interests and the interests of other people. Very often our desires and interests do not coincide with the desires and interests of other people. Therefore, we have to not only compete or negotiate with them, but also quarrel, compete, and in one way or another prove our right to exist. One should not naively believe that in the modern world one can find people for whom the interests, desires, goals and needs of the people around them will be a priority.

Any sane person who strives to grow spiritually and improve himself will begin to care for other people only when he learns to care for himself. Every person who wants to be a happy and successful person in everyday life needs not only to think about himself and his needs, but also learn to take into account the interests of other people.

Experts say that the essence of egoism is that an individual pursuing his own interests learns over time to take into account the interests of the people around him and interact effectively with them. An intellectually and mentally developed person knows how to take care of himself and other people.

To some this may seem blasphemous. How can selfishness be glorified if people should strive for altruism?

Chernyshevsky's views

The philosopher and writer began his path with Hegel, telling everyone that he belonged only to him. Adhering to Hegelian philosophy and views, Chernyshevsky nevertheless rejects his conservatism. And having become acquainted with his works in the originals, he begins to reject his views and sees complete shortcomings in Hegelian philosophy:

• The creator of reality for Hegel was the absolute spirit and the absolute idea.
• Reason and idea were the driving forces of development.
• Hegel's conservatism and his commitment to the feudal-absolutist system of the country.

As a result, Chernyshevsky began to emphasize the duality of Hegel’s theory and criticize him as a philosopher. Science continued to develop, but Hegel’s philosophy for the writer became outdated and lost its meaning.

Marx on morality

Marx did not create a moral theory at all. He did not set such a task for himself - not in the sense that he did not do it, but in the sense that such a task, from his point of view, is essentially false. Marx offers a critique of morality. He believes that morality is a transformed form of social consciousness; it does not reflect, does not express, but distorts and covers up the actual state of affairs.

The essence of Marx's position is that morality is unworthy of theory. After all, the theory of any object is at the same time a recognition of its necessity, its legal existence - this is precisely what K. Marx denies to morality.

Since being is a social practice, it is possible to transform it according to human standards. It is possible to create a moral being. There is no need for morality to be confined to the area of ​​knowledge of internal motives, individual experience; there is no need to look for places somewhere other than the real world. The real world itself can be perfect, fundamentally friendly towards humans.

K. Marx embodied the idea of ​​a moral remake of reality in the doctrine of communism. Here he faced the most difficult problem of the subjectivity of morality. It was as follows: how imperfect people can build a perfect society, or, in the words of K. Marx himself, how to educate the educator himself.

Reasonable egoism: concept

First of all, let's define what distinguishes reasonable egoism from unreasonable one. The latter manifests itself in ignoring the needs and comfort of other people, focusing all a person’s actions and aspirations on satisfying his, often immediate, needs. Reasonable egoism also comes from the emotional and physiological needs of a person (“I want to leave work right now and go to bed”), but is balanced by reason, which distinguishes homo sapiens from creatures that act solely instinctively (“I’ll finish the project and take a day off tomorrow”). . As you can see, the need will be satisfied without compromising work.

From Hegel to Feuerbach

Not satisfied with Hegelian philosophy, Chernyshevsky turned to the works of L. Feuerbach, which subsequently forced him to call the philosopher his teacher.

In his work “The Essence of Christianity,” Feuerbach argues that nature and human thinking exist separately from each other, and the supreme being created by religion and human fantasy is a reflection of the individual’s own essence. This theory greatly inspired Chernyshevsky, and he found in it what he was looking for.

And even while in exile, he wrote to his sons about the perfect philosophy of Feuerbach and that he remained his faithful follower.

From a psychological point of view

From a psychological point of view, selfishness is inherent in all mentally healthy people as it is a consequence of the conservation instinct. Selfishness is not a bad or good assessment, but a character trait that can be developed to a greater or lesser extent. Among its manifestations are super-egoism (I am everything, the rest is zero), self-destruction egoism (I am nothing, look how insignificant I am) and healthy egoism (understanding one’s own and others’ needs and reconciling them with benefit for oneself). Anegoism can be attributed to the realm of fantasy or serious illness. There are no mentally healthy people who don’t take care of themselves at all. In a word, living well without reasonable selfishness is difficult. After all, the main advantage of a person with healthy egoism is the ability to solve his problems taking into account the interests of others and competently build a system of priorities.

Your egoism is completely healthy if you:

• defend your right to refuse something if you think it will harm you;
• understand that your goals will be achieved first, but others have the right to their interests;
• you know how to take actions in your own favor, trying not to harm others, and are able to compromise;
• have your own opinion and are not afraid to speak out, even when it differs from someone else’s;
• ready to defend yourself by any means if you or your loved ones are in danger;
• don’t be afraid to criticize someone, but don’t become rude;
• do not obey anyone, but do not seek to control others;
• respect your partner’s wishes, but don’t overstep yourself;
• you are not tormented by feelings of guilt after making a choice in your favor;
• love and respect yourself without demanding blind adoration from others.

Healthy selfishness

Our task is not to be afraid of our own egoism, but only to use it for its intended purpose. Do not indulge in narcissism and superiority (about this in the article “Your own egoism: life in captivity of illusions”), do not take the side of evil, so as not to fight with our own imaginary windmills.

Healthy selfishness has many advantages, if you want, pay attention to them:

• the opportunity to direct your talents, desires, and creativity in the right direction;
• control your body and your inner world from lack of sleep, overwork, or from the desire to get drunk or overeat;
• standing up for your rights, your needs, your desires;
• the ability to resist manipulation, all kinds of aggression, the ability to distinguish truth from lies, love from foolishness;
• the ability to follow your intended path in life and not get upset over trifles;
• faith, the strength to hold oneself in a fist, with a death grip, when it is especially difficult, when it is no longer possible to live;
• the ability to perform miracles in sports, achievements, the ability to achieve great feats and not be afraid of death.

To be honest, a correct and healthy ego, like a strong body, has only advantages and no disadvantages.

But if, friends, your life is not going well and the egoism that sticks out everywhere is constantly getting in the way, then you need to work not on improving the ego, but on treating this evil dragon - egoism. Look for a way to reduce egoism (more on this in the next article in this series) and heal the ego. Then your life will quickly improve.

Good luck to all!
We invite you to purchase the video course “Labyrinths of Fate”. It will help you build your life correctly and fully, become a strong, harmonious person and realize your true desires.

What is reasonable egoism

According to psychologists, reasonable egoism is a behavior strategy in which a person makes active efforts to self-development and achieve his goals without infringing on the interests of others and without coming into conflict with society. And the main differences between reasonable selfishness and excessive one are the following:

Reasonable egoism is the ideal balance between innate egoism and altruism acquired in the process of socialization. And more and more psychologists recommend that their clients develop precisely this strategy of behavior, and not deny their own selfishness. According to experts, reasonable egoism is precisely that form of thinking and behavior that allows a person to live in harmony with himself and the world around him, realize his goals and find his place in society.

Reasonable selfishness

Reasonable selfishness

- a term often used in recent years to denote a philosophical and ethical position that establishes for each subject the fundamental priority of the subject’s personal interests over any other interests, be they public interests or the interests of other subjects.

The need for a separate term is apparently due to the negative semantic connotation traditionally associated with the term “egoism”. If under the egoist

(without the qualifying word “reasonable”) is often understood as a person who
thinks only about himself
and/or
neglects the interests of other people
, then supporters of “
reasonable egoism
” usually argue that such neglect, for a number of reasons, is simply
unprofitable
for the neglecter and, therefore, represents is not selfishness (in the form of a priority of personal interests over any others), but only a manifestation of short-sightedness or even stupidity.
Reasonable egoism in everyday understanding is the ability to live in one’s own interests
without contradicting the interests of others.

The concept of reasonable egoism is closely related to the concept of “individualism”.

Egoism: what is it in simple words?

Egoism (from the Latin “ego” - “I”) is a life position, attitude to life, character trait and life philosophy of an individual, which consists in the fact that a person thinks mainly or only about his own benefit and his own interests. The egoist either does not think about the benefits and interests of other people at all, or thinks in the very last place.

A distinctive feature of an egoist is that everything connected with him, in comparison with everything connected with other people, seems to such an individual more interesting, significant or important. Such a person perceives the satisfaction of personal interest as the highest good.

A pronounced and inveterate egoist can be compared to a vacuum cleaner that sucks everything into itself and gives nothing in return. He always and everywhere strives to do what is beneficial only to him. The egoist simply doesn’t care about other people.

The term “egoism” was first used in the 18th century, when famous French thinkers came up with the theory of “rational selfishness or selfishness.” The essence of this theory was that correctly understood and adequately comprehended self-interests are the basis of any morality.

Taking the thoughts of Helvetius and Feuerbach as a basis, the Russian philosopher, literary critic, writer and publicist Nikolai Chernyshevsky formulated his own version of the theory of rational egoism, according to which every person is guided by the desire for his own benefit. In the face of this aspiration, ideal motives and sublime feelings lose their luster and become completely insignificant.

The Soviet geneticist Vladimir Efroimson argued that reasonable egoism is formed in the process of natural selection and the centuries-old struggle for existence not by one individual, but by a group of people connected by a common goal, therefore it is transmitted from person to person at the genetic level.

The famous psychologist, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud believed that egoism is inherent in man by nature, so he considered this concept as an ordinary and unremarkable desire of any person to satisfy his natural desires and needs. The most selfish creatures, according to Freud, are small children, because their lives are devoted to satisfying the needs of their own “I”. Children not only desire, but also demand that all their intense momentary desires be fully satisfied. Freud argued that initially children become attached to family and friends only due to their selfish motives, because it is close and dear people who are involved in satisfying all the basic needs of the child.

Egoism and egocentrism difference

There is also a concept similar to egoism - egocentrism. There is a difference in definition between the categories of egoism and egocentrism.

Selfishness is a personality trait, a part of its character that manifests itself in behavior, and egocentrism is a way of thinking. An egocentric person sincerely believes in the existence of only one correct opinion, and that is his own. Only his idea has the right to exist, and he establishes the order, and he will not listen to anyone else’s reasoning. The center of the universe is closed on the egocentric, he is the navel of the earth, he sees only himself at the head of the world, he was born with this feeling and it can pass or more or less weaken at the age of 8-12. If an adult behaves like the ego did in the past, something happened that prevented the person from growing up.

Selfishness examples from life. Selfish people have too strong a desire to have everything, even what they will never need, but others have

Such an overly focused attention on one’s own desires and their satisfaction, even at the most inopportune moment, is characteristic of small children who do not yet know what is good and what is bad, and what can be done right away, and what can cause a negative reaction in society. But the terrible truth is that such manifestations of selfishness are inherent in both children and adults who have physically long since passed that age, but have not matured psychologically

They do not have a feeling of satiety, and not only in food, but in all things, they are always not enough, always lacking. They don't want a big piece of cake, they want the whole cake.

Human egoism has childish traits, but the brain of such individuals works better than it should. They always need to look for ways to get more. It is necessary to come up with cunning tricks to get what you want. Their mind is constantly tense, it is aimed at calculating ways to achieve their own benefit.

It is precisely because of this that human egoism is considered the trigger for progress. A person is in motion, which means he develops, invents, creates and achieves. It is this feature of egoism that gives it a positive connotation. If from childhood you direct egoism in the right direction in a certain way, use this energy as motivation for achievement and at the same time teach the child moral and ethical principles, according to which it is necessary, but respecting the needs of other people, you can raise a very purposeful personality.

How healthy egoism is useful and how to be a “good” egoist

In modern society, it is not so much selfishness that is condemned as selfish behavior. No one has the right to reproach you for not wanting to let strangers into your life or for refusing to help others if this is to the detriment of your interests. But in order not to be considered a rude, self-obsessed person, it is important, first of all, to learn to refuse gently. The best option is to offer your help, but only when it is convenient for you. For example, a colleague asked you to help him with a presentation, but you are busy with your own project. In such a situation, the most humane solution would be to first complete your business and then offer your help if it is still relevant.

By showing healthy selfishness, we take care of ourselves. The main thing is that it does not harm others. Thus, we become full-fledged owners of our time, we can calculate our capabilities and prospects, we teach our loved ones independence and respect for our borders.

© Text: Polly Dozzi, specially from the WHITE BALANCE project

Photo: Daria Minaeva.

When using the material, reference to is required.
Tags: psychology, success

Links

• Nikolai Naritsyn.
  Reasonable egoism (reasonable egoism as a recommendation of a professional psychoanalyst and psychotherapist)
• Andrey "Varraks" Bortsov.
  Reasonable egoism (Satanism and reasonable egoism)

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See what “Reasonable egoism” is in other dictionaries:

Reasonable selfishness

- a term introduced by Chernyshevsky to designate the ethical principles he developed. The basis of Chernyshevsky’s ethics, largely built under the influence of the teachings of French. materialists of the 18th century, as well as C. Fourier and L. Feuerbach, lie the attitudes, the meaning of... ... Russian Philosophy. Encyclopedia

REASONABLE SELFISHNESS

- a term introduced by Chernyshevsky to designate the ethical principles he developed. The basis of Chernyshevsky’s ethics, largely built under the influence of the teachings of French. materialists of the 18th century, as well as C. Fourier and L. Feuerbach, lie the attitudes, meaning to ry... ... Russian philosophy: dictionary

REASONABLE SELFISHNESS

- an ethical concept put forward by the enlighteners of the 17th-8th century. which is based on the principle that a correctly understood interest must coincide with public interest. Although man is by nature an egoist and acts only out of his own interest, out of... ... Thematic philosophical dictionary

REASONABLE EGOISM is an ethical teaching that assumes that: a) all human actions are based on an egoistic motive (the desire for one’s own good); b) reason makes it possible to single out from the total volume of motives those that constitute a correctly understood ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

selfishness

- a, m. égoïsme m. 1. Philosophy that asserts the real existence of only the soul. 70s 18th century Exchange 156. Disgust for Hisism, according to which everything relates only to oneself. Interlocutor 1783 2 24. False sensitivity refers everything only to itself; according to ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

This article needs to be completely rewritten. There may be explanations on the talk page... Wikipedia

Egoism (from the Latin ego “I”) 1) psychological term: The value orientation of a subject, characterized by the predominance in his life of selfish personal interests and needs, regardless of the interests of other people and social groups.... ... Wikipedia

The terms “egoism” and “egotism” can refer to: Egoism is behavior that is entirely determined by the thought of one’s own benefit. Reasonable egoism is the belief that first of all you need to act in your own interests. Solipsism (sometimes... ... Wikipedia

Selfishness

- in psychology, this is a value orientation, a quality of a person, thanks to which he puts his own interests above the interests of other people, a group, or a team. An egoist will never take part in a business that will not bring benefits to him; he does not understand the sacrificial morality of serving his neighbor. The behavior of a selfish person is completely determined and guided by motives of personal gain, without regard to how much his gain may cost others.

Altruism and egoism are opposite concepts and it follows from this that the egoist is focused on satisfying his own needs, while completely neglecting the interests of others and using them as a means through which selfish personal goals are achieved.

An egoist is in love with himself with all his soul, sometimes he forbids others to love him, because he considers them unworthy of his attention, which is why such people almost always remain lonely. A selfish type of behavior is characteristic of people who have too much self-confidence. When they have a definite desire to possess something, then it must be served to them immediately and on a silver platter. They completely exclude the fact that they won’t have it or that they need to wait a while for it.

Small salary

They pay us money for the work done. They are the equivalent of our contribution to the overall process of social development. Fruitful work should be well paid.

Don’t be afraid to ask for more if the time has come and management is holding out on a promotion!

Excess hours or days worked must be paid. If a job does not have prospects for growth and increased income, then there is no need to cling to it. There are many other places in the world where your efforts will be properly appreciated. Look for something new! Is it selfish to act in your own interests?