What is in your self-interest? Would a world to live in with less poverty and with more ethical people be in your self-interest? Would it reduce the threat to your health and safety? Would it enable you to not merely survive, but even to flourish?
Would you not flourish more if you gained value in your life? If yes, then let’s investigate: what is this thing called “value”? And how do we gain more of it?
If I start describing a rug on the floor, and I go on and on about it, giving it so much attention, you are justified in inferring that I find value in that rug! Each adjective I use to describe it attributes another property to the rug. If I asked you to describe to me your mother or your best-friend, you wouldn’t know where to begin – because there are so many properties there! It turns out that “value” is a function of properties: the more properties, the more value. To get more value, we add properties, we go in the direction of Life. And when we subtract properties we go in the direction of death. No properties, zero value.
Everybody loves a bargain! When we speak of a bargain, we call it “a value.” So why not optimize the amount of value we get in our lives? Why not’ squeeze every drop’ of value possible out of life? How arrange this? What can we do? One way is – in our personal interactions – to make everyone involved feel like a winner. Let the encounter be one in which you create value, and have it be mutually beneficial: you boost someone up, make someone smile, offer a sincere compliment, show heartfelt appreciation, give the other person recognition, listen intently, show courtesy, offer respect, etc. On a larger scale we take steps to reduce poverty and misery, we help peple find meaningful work to do if they are out of work, we volunteer to serve by taking on a responsibility, and we are ready to be accountable that we aimed for excellence in our performance.
In every situation we look to see how we can add value. And that is in our true self-interest. A better world is in our self-interest. Thus the question arises: What actually is your conception of ‘a better world,’ and if I, along wih others, agree on that ideal, what are the steps that help us get there? If we arrive at a consensus on what we all concur is a worthwhile goal, then what steps lead to it, and how do we implement those steps with a minimum expenditure of time, energy and capital? How do we efficiently begin the process? Those are the relevant questions, the ones of top priority. So let’s get busy on it.
One more observation…. Selfishness is not in our self-interest. Neither is impulsiveness rather than long-range consideration. It is in our best interest to think long-term as well as short-term. Being selfish violates ethics. When we have a “me-first” attitude, and we worship money as a god, we are being selfish. Ethics makes for harmonious interactions, while selfishness causes friction and hard feelings. In my life I must be careful to avoid selfishness! In the popular media self-interest is often confused with selfishness but they are polar opposites.
It is in our self-interest to employ means compatible with out ends-in-view. If we want love in our life, use loving means. If we want peace, use peaceful means, that is, live peaceably. Harm no one intentionally… On a personal level, maintain serenity; on a social level “sign non-aggression pacts” so to speak, with everyone. Call no one your “enemy.” Regard every stranger as a friend – until you understand that there are no strangers. Seek to understand the other person. Consider each individual as highly-valuable. That is what it takes to be ethical.
The content of this link, entitled SUCCESSFUL LIVING: How to have a quality life (2016), made me think and reflect on ethics and morality, even though I could not find either of these words in the brief paper. Can you? Here is the link: - myqol.com/wadeharvey/PDFs/Su … 20life.pdf
What do you think? Do you have any comments or any questions?
