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This isn't a new idea at all; in fact it's as old as capitalism itself. Adam Smith was one of the first to recognize that capitalism helps align the self-inter
by ctkrohn 19y ago
This isn't a new idea at all; in fact it's as old as capitalism itself. Adam Smith was one of the first to recognize that capitalism helps align the self-interest of the entrepreneur (selfishness) with the general interest of others (charity): "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our necessities but of their advantages."
- pg 19y agoThis isn't a new idea at all Which idea?
- tlb 19y agoSmith is is saying that customers can depend on businesses providing value out of their own self interest (in order to make money.) Graham is saying that as a business, you'll be most successful if you spend your energy trying to be good to your customers, rather than, say, trying to squeeze a little more money from them. Smith: greed => good service => profit & happy customers Graham: benevolence => wonderful service => happy customers & happy entrepreneurs & profit Very different ideas.
- yters 19y agoIt really depends on your definition of self interest too. Benevolent people either think their benevolence benefits them materially, or gain satisfaction from altruism. Both are forms of self interest.
- kleevr 19y agoI personally think altruism is born the murkiest waters of self-interest. But discriptive psychalogical egoism skirts the the issue a bit and forks us into a long examination of the nature of the "soul". But, whether altruism is some measure "divine" (or symbolically derived), or born completely out of self-interest, there is a wide consensus on what it ought to look like. (egoism is an easy card play, we could pull the appartus down and have a look at it though, but we might not get much farther than those that have gone before us.)
- yters 19y agoI dunno. I think ideals exist, and that's what altruism is based on, at least the genuine kind. And I do think genuine altruism exists. However, I also agree that Nietszche's notion ressentiment also gets called altruism.
- kleevr 19y agoI always like the calculus on Aristotle's virtue ethics...