Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Egoism as a harm (#1621)

Too many, who have enjoyed economic success, find themselves with an idea that they are somehow wise to this existence and it's purpose. they feel that somehow because of their good fortune they are somehow elevated to a form of demigod that they earned. They often confuse economic success with wisdom and are never short on criticism or advice on how others should live their lives. The often puzzling privilege of attaining wealth is not wisdom, it is only a strategy aimed at controlling as much wealth as one can. That is not wisdom it is capitalizing on hard work as well as on the failures of others. It has more to do with opportunity, privilege and luck than it does with wisdom. I would never go to a successful Wall Street trader and ask him/her about philosophy or political good for all. Yet when those same folks end up wealthy beyond the dreams of most Americans they somehow transfer their ability to barter paper as the golden rule for being a wise person. They may know the tricks of the trade, but like any good charlatan, they are not magically more human than anyone else. In fact those who know they are only human are more human than those who think they are more than human. Our egos are not much good if we cannot utilize them for a proper purpose. I like the egoism of being motivated to endure toward a goal. That is the proper function of egoism, not some illusory imagining of being above others of our species. Our individual character and personality are most obvious when compared to our humility, especially when we are blessed more than others.

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