On the Universal Good of Rational Self-Interest

by Lee Duane FitzSimmons

It could be argued that the most beneficial kind of human motivation is self-interest. When this sort of motivation is the underlying cause of any action, the action is performed with the most true and honest intent that is known. Without this proper cause to drive desired effect, all of the most logical philosophical notions begin to break down and go into entropic disorder that destroys the basic fabric of rational thought. All that matters is that this proper state of mental well-being is not taken to an extreme and turned into selfishness. Selfishness is the unbalanced state of self-interest that does not care if an individual's actions cause harm to others.

Selfishness is the bane of humanity. In order to make sure that rational self-interest does not deteriorate into this infernal state, the effect that one's actions have on others should always be considered. As long as the effect of an individual's actions on others is either neutral or beneficial, the individual's motives cannot be considered as being selfish. Therefore, it is of utmost concern that every member of the species constantly remembers this most important aspect of existence in order to remain in the healthiest state possible.

In order to maintain rational self-interest, it becomes highly necessary to understand its basic essence on an emotive and intuitive level so that the rational intellect is not needed all the time. In fact, it could be argued that when the intellectual faculties properly perceive the correct conceptualizations of healthy self-motivation, the basic nature of this concept becomes ingrained within the core essence of the intuition. Thus, one should not have to think about continually acting in ways that are not selfish; instead, one should merely be unselfish.

When this state is known, any selfish type of motive instantly feels bad and is immediately rejected by the intuition. Such are the realms of intuitive reason that guide the souls of pure-hearted individuals. Such are the realms of logical empathy that help individuals maneuver through the daily struggles of existence. Such are the realms of the dreams that fill the minds and spirits of the noble-minded people found in every culture all throughout the world.

Such are the realms of peace.

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Copyright 2014 by Lee Fitzsimmons