CompuServe Messages

John: /_______________________From your message________________________\\ I suppose it is important to be able to justify egocentrism as a way of life __________________________________________________________________ Yes, it becomes important when someone challenges this belief. It becomes very important when someone tries to portray this belief as less than acceptable and less than honorable. /_______________________From your message________________________\\ You believe the evil interpretation of altruism justifies your belief. __________________________________________________________________ No, I believe that the self-destructive aspect of altruism is the primary reason to abandon it as a plausible way of continued life. /_______________________From your message________________________\\ Regardless of how you define it, Altruism doesn't justify egocentrism as a motivation for human behavior. __________________________________________________________________ I didn't argue to justify egocentrism but against altruism. I don't have any interest in proselytizing, just in defending a rational viewpoint from being erroneously discredited. /_______________________From your message________________________\\ I don't think there's any truth to egocentrism as a way of life. And its not my job to prove it. __________________________________________________________________ Well, here's a dichotomy as I think everyone ought to prove this one way or other to themselves. Why do you argue against egoism, or egocentrism as if the egoist would necessarily endorse hedonism? Why do you say that there isn't "any truth to egocentrism as a way of life?" Why do you try to cast an unfavorable light on the belief that one's own needs are of primary concern and other's are always secondary? From Rand's "Textbook of Americanism": "Do not make the mistake of the ignorant who think that an individualist is a man who says:"I'll do as I please at everybody else's expense." An individualist is a man who recognizes the inalienable individual rights of man – his own and those of others. An individualist is a man who says:"I will not run anyone's life – nor let anyone run mine. I will not rule nor be ruled. I will not be a master nor a slave. I will not sacrifice myself to anyone – nor sacrifice anyone to myself." Bob PS and FWIW, I think you misconstrued my response to your football inquiry. You asked me what I would do with ten seconds left and I was on the 45 yard line. By stating I would just kneel down and let the clock run out was my attempt to show you that you never told me the score as it would be required information for me to make a call, yes? So I invented one to favor me (how surprising <g>). Hey, I don't think you even said which 45 yard line had I been pondering a record breaking incredible field goal or a long bomb.