Reasonable egoism - what is the theory of reasonable egoism?

The concept of reasonable egoism does not fit well into ideas about public morality. For a long time it was believed that a person should put the interests of society above personal ones. Those who did not fit into these conditions were declared selfish and subjected to general censure. Psychology claims that a reasonable amount of selfishness should be present in everyone.

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.

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.

Selfishness - healthy selfishness and reasonable selfishness

Love and family relationships will not be able to develop successfully if a person does not comply with the conditional rule of “healthy selfishness.” In general terms, selfishness refers to behavior that is aimed at obtaining benefit for oneself or even profit. Often, guided by motives of selfishness, a person exalts his own interests above those of other people. Selfishness - healthy selfishness and reasonable selfishness in its general understanding are not at all praised by society.

On the contrary, by labeling someone an egoist, people speak of this person with a degree of contempt. There is an opinion that selfishness refers to negative character traits. And public morality sometimes even calls a person’s selfish manifestations the worst of qualities. Today we will talk about healthy selfishness and reasonable selfishness in our lives.

For any manifestations of selfishness, from childhood children are taught to feel guilt and shame. But this is precisely how duality of personality is born. After all, having realized that one must feel shame or guilt for selfishness, a person in the future will be ashamed of his true nature, having become accustomed to constantly playing the role of someone whom he really is not.

There is another very common opinion that it is manifestations of selfishness that most often lead to the destruction of normal relationships between people. However, this cannot be stated unequivocally. All people, without exception, have an innate natural egoism. And its presence is due to an important goal that helps the individual survive in society.

Selfishness - healthy selfishness and reasonable selfishness

All people are egoists to a certain extent. But due to the pressure of social morality, we are constantly told that it is better to be someone more modest. In other words, society forces people to resort to self-deception, which cannot go completely unnoticed. After all, the nature of human egoism is closely related to innate instincts.

If you deliberately eradicate selfishness in yourself, the consequences of this will be very sad. Taking a closer look at your friends, you can understand that the majority of them suffer from a deep internal conflict that has grown over the years. The basis for this conflict is precisely unsatisfied egoism.

Many people are not happy with their lives for the reason that they were unable to pay due attention to the impulses and desires of their own soul. Such people spend a lot of time at war with themselves or with their inner true nature. The basis of any human desire is precisely selfishness.

And even behind very noble and selfless, at first glance, actions, it is easy to find a selfish motivation. Moreover, this motivation will always be primary. But there is nothing negative about this phenomenon. Therefore, there is no need to be ashamed of your true nature, nor is there any need to try to overcome it. The fight against selfishness is tantamount to a rebellion against the instinct of self-preservation inherent in all of us.

Reasonable selfishness

When the term “reasonable egoism” appeared, society along with it seemed to recognize that egoism has not only a negative connotation. And if an egoist is most often called a person who thinks only about himself and who tends to neglect the interests of others, then “reasonable egoism” will be understood as a justified disregard for the interests of other people.

In the ordinary understanding, reasonable egoism comes down to the ability to build one’s own life based on personal interests. But at the same time, a person does not oppose his desires and interests to the rights of others. We can say that through rational egoism we have the opportunity to harmonize our soul. There is even an assumption that reasonable egoists are closer to the basics of spirituality and holiness. After all, they have to deceive themselves to a lesser extent. If a person is forced to live, constantly deceiving himself, this will make him unhappy, since most of his desires will remain unfulfilled. Egoism to a reasonable extent allows a person to objectively perceive the world.

And here you can notice one amazing paradox. The more honest a person is with himself, the less selfish his behavior will be. When selfishness is justified, objective and reasonable, then it will not cause rejection.

Let's consider one of the examples. Two egoists, an unconscious one and a reasonable one, want to give a gift to someone close to them. Reasonable egoism will allow a person to understand that by giving a gift, he will, to some extent, bestow himself, for example, with positive emotions from the person to whom the gift is intended.

When giving something to another, a reasonable egoist will not hide self-interest from himself. And this will allow him to remain honest with himself. But an unconscious egoist will not even understand that he is driven only by personal interests. He will be convinced that when giving something to someone, the basis of this act is also only self-interest. It is also important for him to get something in return, but it is better if he can get it secretly.

If, after giving the gift, the unconscious egoist does not receive the expected reaction from the other, then self-interest will quickly become obvious. As a result, an unreasonable egoist may begin to get nervous, take offense, and even blame the person to whom the gift was given for selfishness. Egoists are equally selfish. However, an unreasonable egoist will be proud of his ostentatious selflessness.

But this trait becomes very close to a negative behavior called hypocrisy. Hypocrites act based on their selfish interests, but at the same time they attribute a highly moral meaning to their behavior. Hypocrisy is the antithesis of sincerity and honesty.

Along with this, selfishness, within reasonable limits, will be one of the most important qualities that allows a person to be successful. Since a reasonable egoist is honest with himself, this fills his worldview with integrity and brings harmony to his soul. It is very difficult to manage intelligent egoists. After all, they can critically evaluate the motives that motivate other people.

Reasonable egoists are not inclined to fall into love addiction, since they are able to adequately evaluate their own “investments.” Reasonable egoists are more cooperative. It is through cooperation that it is easiest to achieve the desired results, including those determined by personal interest. And this forces a reasonable egoist to take into account and always take into account the interests of others. Egoism in men is always dictated by the need to take the role of leader in a relationship.

Healthy selfishness

People endowed with healthy egoism also have another important advantage. They know how to achieve goals taking into account other people's interests, which allows them to competently build a system of priorities. Selfishness can be considered healthy if a person defends the right to refuse something that could cause him harm. Guided by healthy egoism, a person will behave in such a way as not to harm others, but his actions will still be aimed at achieving personal benefit.

Healthy selfishness gives a person a conditional immunity against being subordinate to someone else. But the desire to control others with this factor is reduced to a minimum. Reasonable egoists always respect the wishes of their partner. But they are not inclined to overstep themselves either. Therefore, they are not tormented by a feeling of guilt when a choice is made in their favor.

A healthy egoist loves and respects himself, but it is not typical for him to demand blind adoration and admiration for his personality from others. Thus, each of us essentially has a single common selfish motive: “I want!” And the more clearly we can observe it in ourselves, the more natural and simpler our life will seem to us. Accordingly, relationships with others will be built easily and simply.

Selfishness is healthy selfishness and reasonable - treat reasonable manifestations of selfishness as a healthy natural feeling. There is no need to be ashamed of selfishness. After all, if you hide from such a natural motive, then you can live all the time in vain.

By acknowledging our selfishness, we will naturally learn to respect the interests and freedom of choice of other people.

Healthy egoism will be the key that can open the way to fruitful and adequate interaction with other people!
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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.

What is the theory of rational egoism?

The emergence of the theory coincides with the period of the emergence of capitalist relations in Europe. At this time, the idea is formed that every person has the right to unlimited freedom. In an industrial society, he becomes the owner of his workforce and will build relationships with society, guided by his views and ideas, including financial ones. The theory of rational egoism, created by the Enlightenment, claims that such a position is consistent with the nature of man, for whom the main thing is self-love and concern for self-preservation.

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.

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.

The problem of selfishness

Most selfish individuals do not allow anyone into their world, they experience all their inner impulses alone, and do not need outside help, but among them there are those who really need the presence of a loved one who will help, hear and understand. But it also happens that they simply need the physical presence of a person without any emotional impulses. For such people, the absence of others in their lives is tantamount to a state of crisis. But they won’t make acquaintances with just anyone, much less let them into their personal space. It is not easy for them to learn to trust others; they must see for themselves, understand from their own experience what a person is like, and after such a strict test they decide to trust.

The problem of selfishness lies in the peculiarities of personality formation, the circumstances of its growing up, and the correctness of upbringing. At certain life stages of growing up, through the influence of unfavorable conditions, a person develops egoistic character traits. Thus, manifestations of selfishness are possible at any age.

Selfishness in relationships is a big problem because there are two people in a couple and they are obligated to love each other, not one the other, and the other himself. Often behind such over-confidence there was self-doubt, and in order to overcome it they had to work a lot, and as a result of such work, they gave too much effort, and, obeying the temptation, overdid it, and they liked this new sensation. And when such a person has just found a mate, or returned to his current relationship as a completely different person, then problems begin. For a selfish person, everything seems to be normal, even better than it was, because now she knows her worth, which means she can demand twice as much. She does not understand that such behavior interferes with building a relationship, because all the attention and care is given to only one person. A couple is just that: if there are two people in it, then the initiative should come from everyone.

Selfishness in relationships breaks up families and people's destinies. But if a person values ​​relationships, he will work on himself and will be able to change.

Selfishness is considered a problem in the sense that a person who spends vital energy on himself often does not notice how he poisons the lives of others, without paying attention to their needs, he will never be able to feel the joy of a selfless act for others.

Egoism and altruism. If we compare altruism and egoism, we can identify a common idea in them - the value of a person. It’s just that in altruism the needs of others are respected and selfless actions are done for their benefit, but in egoism a person respects himself and realizes personal needs.

The feeling of selfishness can alternate with altruism, depending on what lessons life has brought. A person could once do a selfless good deed, and in return receive misunderstanding and condemnation of his action. Then a defense mechanism turns on in him and from that moment on he will begin to do good deeds only for himself. There is also his mistake here, since you cannot generalize all cases, there are sincere grateful people in the world who will appreciate the action, you cannot be disappointed in people so quickly. There is a problem in society associated with the rejection of either selfish selfish actions or sacrificial altruistic ones. Selfish actions are condemned for catering to the needs of one person, and they try to find a catch in 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.

Reasonable and unreasonable egoism

After the concept of reasonable egoism was released, the concept of “egoism” began to be considered in two versions: reasonable and unreasonable. The first was discussed in detail in the theory of the Enlightenment, and the second is well known from life experience. Each of them gets along in a community of people, although the formation of reasonable egoism could bring more benefits not only to society as a whole, but also to individuals in particular. Unreasonable egoism is still more understandable and accepted in everyday life. At the same time, it is often cultivated and actively planted, especially by loving parents and grandparents.

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.

Basic concept of the theory

The theory of rational egoism evaluates the benefits of human relationships and the choice of the most profitable ones. From a theoretical point of view, the manifestation of selflessness, mercy and charity are absolutely meaningless. Only those manifestations of these qualities that lead to PR, profit, etc. have meaning.

Reasonable egoism is understood as the ability to find a middle ground between personal capabilities and the needs of others. Moreover, each individual proceeds solely from self-love. But having intelligence, a person understands that if he thinks only about himself, he will face a huge number of problems, wanting only to satisfy his personal needs. As a result, individuals come to personal limitations. But this is again done not out of love for others, but out of love for oneself. Therefore, in this case it is advisable to talk about reasonable egoism.

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”.

How to move away from primitive egoism to reasonableness

Many primitive egoists, having gained some life experience, or people who notice manifestations of primitive egoism in themselves, realize this fact and, for various reasons, want to get rid of it.

Of course, such persons will not be able to become altruists; this will go against their internal attitudes, which will lead to the destruction of their personality. Therefore, they choose a compromise option - reasonable selfishness.

There are a lot of similar examples in history - rich people found various charitable foundations. In this case, the scheme of reasonable egoism is as follows: “I selflessly help people (nature, blue whales, Amur tigers, etc.) → you create a positive image for me by praising me → my main commercial activity is heard by everyone → my profit increases." Everyone is happy → reasonable selfishness rules!

Often the reason for a conscious decision to get rid of primitive egoism is deteriorating family relationships. Living with such a person is difficult, so after the romantic flair of falling in love disappears, the family breaks up.

Psychologists advise what needs to be done to “get away” from primitive egoism:

1. find the reason for this negative trait of your character. As a rule, primitive egoism is characteristic of people to whom in childhood their parents paid either too much attention or too little. Having realized this fact, it must be “understood and forgiven”;
2. analyze each of your actions, find the root cause of its commission. In this way, you will realize how often, in achieving your goal, you “went over your head”, regardless of the interests of other people;
3. try to learn to listen and, most importantly, hear your interlocutors in order to understand their interests and desires, learn to respect their opinions;
4. gradually get rid of excessive self-confidence, once and for all giving yourself the attitude that your opinion is not always the ultimate truth;
5. learn to accept criticism addressed to you. Not always, of course, but often the criticism is fair;
6. develop the habit of thanking other people for what they do for you;
7. start caring for others without expecting any benefit for yourself. For example, help an elderly person carry a heavy bag to the entrance.

If an independent struggle with your deficiency does not give positive results, then you should consult a psychologist. He will be able to help with qualified advice.

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 to behave with a man: 15 rules of reasonable selfishness

The principle of reasonable egoism is the golden mean between altruism and egoism. Even if you are a broad-minded person by nature, put off your desire for self-sacrifice until better times (it is possible that these times will never come!). If you fail to become selfish, at least act like one.

What is egoism? This is a “romance that lasts a lifetime” with the person who is most dear to you, that is, with yourself.

Self-love is the ideological content of the principle of reasonable egoism, and its applied expression is to shift onto the shoulders of a man as many different responsibilities as possible, including those that were previously yours.

Using the principle of reasonable selfishness from the very first days of your acquaintance with a man, you will instill in him a sense of responsibility, which will be very useful if you decide to make him happy by agreeing to marry him. By not allowing your man to relax, you can free up more time for yourself, your children and your life partner, finally! As a result, even with a long history of living together, you will not be a “cornered horse”, always irritated, tormented by small everyday problems, you will smile more often and grumble less. And this will ultimately benefit both of you. That is why this principle is called “reasonable egoism.” Let's consider its main points:

1. Give your man the opportunity to take care of you. Be a little bit of an actress, portray helplessness and confusion in any difficult (and not very difficult too!) situation. Women who look weak and helpless make a man feel strong. And they always win in the eyes of men.

2. No matter what men say, each of them in his soul dreams of a romantic person reminiscent of Turgenev’s girls, even if at a given period of time he is sleeping with a girl “without complexes.” Don’t believe that men like practical women, realists who stand firmly on their feet! The symbiosis of a food processor, washing machine and vacuum cleaner is needed only by a male consumer. But you don’t need such a man!

By the way, the role of an impractical person, far from everyday life and the real world, is not only much more advantageous, but also brings very tangible benefits.

In relationships with the opposite sex, always be guided by the principle of reasonable selfishness.

3. Love yourself more than the man you love. The more you experience warm feelings for yourself, your beloved, the more likely it is that your partner will love you with the same degree of intensity.

4. Do only what you are passionate about, what interests you and evokes positive emotions.

Never do anything you don't actively want to do. If you don’t want to go to the dacha to dig beds, don’t go. By wasting your weekend to sow parsley and dill, you will later decorate your table, but not your life.

Don't go to visit people you don't like. Of course, you don’t tell your beau this; accept the invitation, but calmly go about your business.

5. If you have a full basket of dirty laundry, and you want to read a detective story or watch your favorite TV series, do not deny yourself anything. If your roommate grumbles that he doesn’t have clean shirts, let him wash them himself. Having decided to live together, you did not sign obligations for his personal services. He probably doesn’t do even half of what is considered “a man’s duties”!

6. You can avoid unpleasant things in this way: never argue with a man, don’t say that you’re lazy or don’t want to, verbally agree that everything will be done, but don’t do anything. And then - a sweet, confused smile and: “Sorry dear, I completely forgot!” Oh, how sorry I am, please don’t be angry!” Well, how can he not forgive! Maybe he’ll curse to himself, but he won’t show it. Let him even mentally call you a “blunder”, “stupid”. But you will force him to play by your own rules.

Or another option: “play the fool”, blink your eyes, ask again a hundred times, pretend that you will certainly forget and mix everything up. As a result, your man will be forced to help you. A couple of such sessions and he will get used to doing everything himself. It's okay, the crown won't fall off!

7. Never forget that you have not only responsibilities, but also rights. Win more rights for yourself and slowly get rid of responsibilities. Always look for a contractor who can do the maximum for you that was previously part of your responsibilities.

8. The technical side of things, as well as physical, dirty work, are not for you. If your favorite painting falls off the wall, don’t rush to take a hammer to hang it up again. Any woman is capable of driving a nail into a wall, but why should she do it?! If there is a male creature in your house, that is his prerogative. Let the fallen picture stand there, leaning against the wall, until the creature, proudly calling itself a “man,” deigns to take out a stepladder, a hammer and a nail. If your faucet is dripping, don't rush to call the control room to get a plumber. If your life partner's hands are in the wrong place to replace the gasket, then at least take the trouble to call a mechanic yourself. At the same time, you will learn how to fix the problem. (By the way, there is no wisdom in this; such an operation can easily be accomplished by a man even with three higher educations.

9.Men have nothing to feel sorry for. Any work will only benefit them. Labor, as we know, turned a monkey into a man. Work can turn a male representative into a man.

10.Take care of your own good mood. Never raise your voice, shout, argue or make trouble with a man. Don't waste your emotions! Remember that negative emotions have a negative impact on a woman’s appearance.

11.If you have to do something you don’t like, don’t rush. Pull until you find someone who is happy (or not) to roll up their sleeves. The one who has stronger nerves or who cares about the result wins. If no one shows enthusiasm, forget about this matter. There are so many things in the world that you don’t have to do!

12.Learn to say “no.” The problem with many women is that they say “yes” too easily and don’t know how to say “no.” When refusing someone, justify the reason. If your opponent is not satisfied with your motivation, it will be worse for him.

13. Don’t rack your brains over other people’s problems that don’t concern you. Don’t meddle in someone else’s soul, in someone else’s life, but don’t let anyone into yours either.

14.Learn to manipulate men and force them to do what you want.

15. Never row while sitting in a boat with a man (this, of course, should not be taken only literally). Figuratively speaking, be a navigator in life, but not a rower.

And most importantly: do not spoil men by taking on their functions!

Having mastered these principles, you will understand that you can enjoy life without disappointing others, without infringing on their interests, but at the same time without offending yourself.

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.

A little history

Reasonable egoism begins to emerge in the ancient period, when Aristotle assigned it the role of one of the components of the problem of friendship.

Further, during the period of the French Enlightenment, Helvetius views rational egoism as the impossibility of coexistence of a meaningful balance between a person's self-centered passion and public goods.

This issue was studied in more detail by L. Feuerbach. In his opinion, human virtue is based on a sense of one’s own satisfaction from the satisfaction of another person.

The theory of rational egoism received in-depth study from Chernyshevsky. It was based on the interpretation of the individual's egoism as an expression of the usefulness of the person as a whole. Based on this, if corporate, private and universal interests collide, then the latter should prevail.