 Bertrand Russell Quotes 366 |
I do not wish to seem to end upon a note of cynicism. I do not deny that there are better things than selfishness, and that some people achieve these things. I maintain, however, on the one hand, that there are few occasions upon which large bodies of men, such as politics is concerned with, can rise above selfishness, while, on the other hand, there are a very great many circumstances in which populations will fall below selfishness, if selfishness is interpreted as enlightened self-interest.
Source: Bertrand Russell: Human Society in Ethics and Politics, 1954, part II: The Conflict of Passions, chapter 2: Politically important desires, n.19
More info.： https://russell-j.com/cool/47T-2_0219.htm
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We asked ChatGPT to explain ‘enlightened self-interest’ in plain English.
ChatGPT: When we talk about ‘enlightened self-interest’, we mean that even when we pursue self-interest, we also look at the impact on others and society, as well as on ourselves, and choose to act in ways that ultimately benefit the whole. For example, the pursuit of self-interest from a broader perspective, in which you can ultimately benefit by cooperating with others, can be described as ‘enlightened self-interest’. In other words, ‘enlightened’ contains nuances that redefine self-interest to focus on sensible, sustainable benefits rather than short-term, self-centred behaviour].
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