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You might be selfish, and you might not be selfish. Consider your answer to these two questions: 1. Do you produce kids? 2. Given your qualities as a potentia
by tropo 10y ago
You might be selfish, and you might not be selfish. Consider your answer to these two questions:
1. Do you produce kids?
2. Given your qualities as a potential parent, are your kids likely to produce more for society than they take?
If you answer those in the same way, you are not selfish. If your answers don't match, then you are.
- jstandard 10y agoThat's a strange way to evaluate selfishness. Question 2 has virtually infinite factors impacting it, making it useless in any practical sense. How about those who participate in activities that enrich the lives of others, such as volunteering, teaching, or giving aid? What if their country has an overpopulation problem resulting in major constraints on resources and infrastructure?
- icanhackit 10y agoIn a game theory setting, i.e. highly constrained and not tainted by that annoyingly complex and unintuitive stuff that is reality, you'd be correct. It also ignores the fact that the vast majority of people don't make new humans as a selfless public service, thus "selfish" takes on a new definition which can be translated as "doing what people do", at which point it loses all meaning. In poor countries making new humans is a necessity, in rich countries it's a natural desire, and in all cases it's a fundamental human right even if the offspring take more than they give as everyone is a product of circumstance. Exercising the option to not make any is equally valid.