Why shouldn't I live only for self interest?

I mean as far as I can tell, I may as well. It makes the most sense. This life, my life, is the only experience I'll ever experience as far as I can know. Why experience anything that isn't for me? Why experience and pain/suffering that doesn't benefit me at the bottom line?

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  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You’re a selfish piece of shit anon and it’s nice that people will make your life harder for being like this.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >i cant counter your reasoning so ill dislike you and others will too

      youre literally the equivalent of a religious person who hates someone because they ask how their their interpretation of faith can be proven

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        People are generally good but there are plenty of bad people out there who only care about themselves. That includes you. I can’t convince you to care about other people, you fundamentally have a deficiency that others don’t in this regard.

        You will be kept in line by other people who counter your selfishness and people who perceive that you are a bad person even if you try to hide it.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          Okay, why should people who care about other people not live for their self interest?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            You have a fundamentally different mindset as opposed to a good person. You are selfish, good people care about others as much and sometimes more than themselves.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            I think youre just too stupid/ignorant to follow self interest to its complete rational

            i ask again: why should people who care about other people not live for their self interest

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            I can’t convince you because your mind is fundamentally deranged. You do not have the inherent motivation to be a good person, you are a bad person. Now to try and preserve your feeling of worth you’re trying to convince yourself it’s some special intelligence when you’re actually just a rotten scumbag. It’s that simple.

        • 2 years ago
          Anonymous

          You have a fundamentally different mindset as opposed to a good person. You are selfish, good people care about others as much and sometimes more than themselves.

          Yes, selfishness is rational, and I irrationally have empathy and like to care for other people. I have no logical justification for this, I just instinctively am that way, and the species is better off for it. You will be terminated. Prepare yourself.

          When you care for others, whatever that means to you, you are doing so in order to satisfy your own psychological urges and desires. Thus, to care for others is just as selfish as to care only for oneself.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Yeah, I agree. Now are you ready to die?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Yeah people who have the desire to be a good person are good people. A selfish person is only interested in themselves. This is not difficult, it’s stunning how much you’re struggling.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            The "good" person and the "selfish" are both pursuing their own interests. If a "good" person did not derive some form of value or satisfaction from caring for others, why would he do so? Think about it.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >he "good" person and the "selfish" are both pursuing their own interests
            Yeah and a good persons interests are being a good person and treating others as good or even better than themselves, while a selfish person only cares about themselves.

            That’s what these concepts mean, my fricking Christ you are a pseud.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Read the entirety of my posts. If a "good" person did not think that he would derive some form of value or satisfaction from caring for others, why would he do so? Furthermore, if a "good" person thinks that he would derive more satisfaction from "selfish" actions than "good" actions, then why would commit good actions. Contrariwise, if a "good" person thinks that he would derive more satisfaction from "good" actions than from "selfish" actions, isn't his actions ultimately selfish? Think about it.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            this wasnt me (OP) btw

            Yes, selfishness is rational, and I irrationally have empathy and like to care for other people. I have no logical justification for this, I just instinctively am that way, and the species is better off for it. You will be terminated. Prepare yourself.

            well you caring for people because you like it is self interest

            I can’t convince you because your mind is fundamentally deranged. You do not have the inherent motivation to be a good person, you are a bad person. Now to try and preserve your feeling of worth you’re trying to convince yourself it’s some special intelligence when you’re actually just a rotten scumbag. It’s that simple.

            bruh your best argument against me is 'caring for people is goodie vs not is baddie' you mast have a brain the size of a pea

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Read the entirety of my posts. If a "good" person did not think that he would derive some form of value or satisfaction from caring for others, why would he do so? Furthermore, if a "good" person thinks that he would derive more satisfaction from "selfish" actions than "good" actions, then why would commit good actions. Contrariwise, if a "good" person thinks that he would derive more satisfaction from "good" actions than from "selfish" actions, isn't his actions ultimately selfish? Think about it.

            >good and selfless people actually want to be good people man, think about it
            Woah…
            Fricking idiot lmao

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Selfish people do what they want. good people want to do good. Therefore, good people are selfish.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Selfish people only want to help themselves and only care about themselves. That’s what that means.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >Selfish people only want to help themselves and only care about themselves
            And "good" people, all people in general, are ultimately selfish because they only care about others to the extent that it help themselves. The only difference between a "good" person and your so-called "selfish" person is that the selfish person evidently sees nothing to gain from helping others while the "good" person derives something from helping others.
            >No one deserves thanks from another about something he has done for him or goodness he has done, he is either willing to get a reward from God, therefore he wanted to serve himself, or he wanted to get a reward from people, therefore, he has done that to get profit for himself, or to be mentioned and praised by people, therefore, to it is also for himself, or due to his mercy and tenderheartedness, so he has simply done that goodness to pacify these feelings and treat himself. People in the middle ages understood this concept. It isn't that hard to grasp.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >*accidental greentext
            People in the middle ages understood this concept. It isn't that hard to grasp

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Good person: Wants to help others, elevates others to their level or above

            Selfish person: Only cares about themselves.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Think of all the "good" people you know. Group them togethor, then compare them to eachother. Do they all help others equally, or to different extents? Why? Is it because some people are just "gooder" than others, or isn't it actually the case that those "good" people only help others only to the extent that it helps themselves?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Guy there are plenty of people out there who have sacrificed things for others at no gain, they just felt it was right. It’s not all a game of using other people. You have legit mental problems if you don’t understand this.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >they just felt it was right
            Refer to

            >Selfish people only want to help themselves and only care about themselves
            And "good" people, all people in general, are ultimately selfish because they only care about others to the extent that it help themselves. The only difference between a "good" person and your so-called "selfish" person is that the selfish person evidently sees nothing to gain from helping others while the "good" person derives something from helping others.
            >No one deserves thanks from another about something he has done for him or goodness he has done, he is either willing to get a reward from God, therefore he wanted to serve himself, or he wanted to get a reward from people, therefore, he has done that to get profit for himself, or to be mentioned and praised by people, therefore, to it is also for himself, or due to his mercy and tenderheartedness, so he has simply done that goodness to pacify these feelings and treat himself. People in the middle ages understood this concept. It isn't that hard to grasp.

            >No one deserves thanks from another about something he has done for him or goodness he has done, he is either willing to get a reward from God, therefore he wanted to serve himself, or he wanted to get a reward from people, therefore, he has done that to get profit for himself, or to be mentioned and praised by people, therefore, to it is also for himself, or due to his mercy and tenderheartedness, so he has simply done that goodness to pacify these feelings and treat himself
            Repeat after me
            >or due to his mercy and tenderheartedness, so he has simply done that goodness to pacify these feelings and treat himself

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >Bro you don't really have thoughts it is just chemicals in your brain
            God nihilists are moronic.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >pseud reading comprehension

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Yeah anon quoting someone else who also doesn’t understand the concept of bad and selfish vs. selfless and good doesn’t make your point better.

            A good and selfless person is a person who does good things because they care about others, selfish people are only motivated to help themselves and use others.
            I’m done explaining the distinction. If you don’t get it you don’t get it.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            There's no such thing as selflessness. you're inventing a distinction that doesn't exist, a false binary.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Cope for not understanding a basic concept. You’re a selfish piece of shit, of course you deny the very existence of people with good intentions. You can’t live otherwise.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Provide one example of selflessness, since you are so certain it exists.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            A good person does things like helping out a friend financially with it expecting payback or volunteering without bragging about it to anyone.

            They are losing time and money, they do it because they want to, because they’re a good person.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            > due to his mercy and tenderheartedness, so he has simply done that goodness to pacify these feelings and treat himself

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >It is just the chemicals in your brain that make your thoughts. You don't actually have thoughts

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            suppose they were thoughts and not just chemicals; are you really proving selflessness when a person is pursuing thoughts that make him happy?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Giving money to a homeless person. Here's the caveat. I really hate homeless people.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Dickhead some people choose career paths like helping disabled people that pay like shit and are terrible jobs just because they’re good people.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            A good person does things like helping out a friend financially with it expecting payback or volunteering without bragging about it to anyone.

            They are losing time and money, they do it because they want to, because they’re a good person.

            Giving money to a homeless person. Here's the caveat. I really hate homeless people.

            >feel sad seeing others in poverty and distress
            >commit "selfless" action
            >feel happy and proud of himself
            He gains from this act of so called "selflessness", therefore can it really be so?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            So the only way to be a good person is to not enjoy helping people or thinking it’s right? Congrats on being a fricking idiot.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Where was that said?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            You are a waste of skin.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            I accept your concession

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Yes. Because you are giving someone something physical while you don't get anything physical.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >it doesn't count because it isn't physical
            That's an arbitrary distinction based on nothing. He gained a sense of satisfaction and pleasure from his actions, therefore they were ultimately selfish

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >feel sad seeing others in poverty and distress
            I don't
            >commit "selfless" action
            Yes
            >feel happy and proud of himself
            I don't

            Care to explain why hmmm?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            You were doing it to acquire the admiration of others, to gain some metaohysical reward in the afterlife, to lessen pre existing feelings of sadness and pain or, if none of the above, the scenario doesn't exist and you made it up to win an internet argument

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >acquire the admiration of others
            Nobody else is around
            >gain some metaohysical reward in the afterlife
            Don't believe in it
            >lessen pre existing feelings of sadness and pain
            How is me giving up my own money doing that? That would cause me more feelings of sadness and pain since I am a israelite.
            >It doesn't exist cause....It JUST CAN'T!

            You see things in black and white. Here is a scenario. I win a car off a game show. The car I won happens to be an old sports car my Dad used to own but sold it so I can go to college. I decide to gift that car to my Dad because I love him. I make an offhand joke that I couldn't afford the taxes on such a car anyway.
            You will scream and point to my joke saying that is the only reason I am giving it up while ignoring the major part as to why I am giving it up in the first place. Love.
            You cry everyone is selfish only because you are selfish and cannot conceive kindness done out of altruistic intentions. Sad really.
            What is even sadder is that a fricking israelite like me has to tell you this.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >I decide to gift that car to my Dad because I love him.
            >I gave up a car for the selfish motivation of gratifying my love for a relative, therefore selflessness exists
            uuuuhhh...btfo?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >selfish motivation of gratifying my love for a relative
            You do realize the definition of selfish is "lacking consideration for others" right. Having a consideration of others means you aren't selfish regardless of whatever benefits you get out of an interaction.
            Why do you autisticlly think if you get a benefit you are somehow selfish?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Not him
            >Pedantic.
            Selfish as in selflessness is self serving. Doing good things makes you feel good.

            Could it be there is something inside you causing cognitive dissonance.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >selflessness is self serving
            oxymoron. Having a consideration for others by definition makes a person not selfish

            Define selflessness.

            caring more about the needs of others than your own.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Selflessness as you define it doesn't exist.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Why not? Me giving a homeless person a dollar so they can eat is selfless.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Why not $10? $100? Because the limit of your generosity is your own needs. Thus, you are not caring more about the needs of the homeless than your own.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >Because the limit of your generosity is your own needs
            No because I only had a dollar in cash. Nobody carries cash anymore.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >When you think you are a selfless person but you're too lazy to walk to a atm.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Why do I need to go to an atm? The homless man asked for what I can spare not my life savings

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >asked for what I can spare
            So the homeless man specifically asked that you do not put his needs ahead of your own? Interesting.

            Since you refuted your own example of selflessness, feel free to provide another one or concede that selflessness doesn't exist.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Volunteering for a soup kitchen then. Show me your mental gymnastics.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >do not put his needs ahead of your own
            I did. me giving him money for food doesn't mean I need to go hungry now.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            You do realize "putting others needs ahead of your own" can be put as "letting others eat before you" not "If you eat I must starve now."

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >Definition
            >Pedantic: Being finicky or fastidious, especially with language. Marked by a narrow focus on or display of learning especially its trivial aspects.
            You cannot understand OPs argument if you cling to this idea that definitions are the same as concepts.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >definitions are the same as concepts
            Without definitions a concept cannot exist. Words have meanings. You putting different meanings to words with definitions already in place is just you being moronic

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Jesus very clearly did this. When he tried to get some sleep people came to him so he still taught them rather than getting rest.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >When he tried to get some sleep people came to him so he still taught them rather than getting rest
            >People were obstructing jesus from resting, so he had to do whatever it is they wanted so that he could finally get some rest, therefore, selflessness exists.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            He used his free will to teach them rather than said go away let me sleep. So yes

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Define selflessness.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >jew
            >Insists that there is no selfish motivation for his actions
            I wonder what may be gained from convincing people of this...

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Okay I'm gonna try this with you one more time.

            I am, believe it or not, someone who does care about other people. I consider myself to be very empathetic in fact. Now, regardless of ANYONE IN THE WORLD, caring or not, whatever, why should any of those people not live for there self interest?

            Self interest does not mean not caring. For example, I like being nice to people because I care about them. Do you get it now? I'm not asking why people care about people, or if they should or shouldn't care about them. I'm asking why people shouldn't live in self interest.

            Do you understand?

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            I’m not disagreeing with that, it pointing out that “good and selfless people want to be that way, so they’re actually selfish” is stupid and ignorant of what the word selfish actually means.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            Yeah, it's self-interest, and my self-interest is superior. I am inherently better than you.

          • 2 years ago
            Anonymous

            >you are doing so in order to satisfy your own psychological urges and desires
            Got proof for this?

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Yes, selfishness is rational, and I irrationally have empathy and like to care for other people. I have no logical justification for this, I just instinctively am that way, and the species is better off for it. You will be terminated. Prepare yourself.

  3. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You absolutely should live for your own self interest. However, humans are not rational entitylies you have emotions and what constitutes "self-interest" may mean many different things to different people.

  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Behind every ugly, poor, ill, religious, unfortunate person theres an ego.
    Same as the fortunate ones.
    An ego with needs ready to compete and "backstab" you when the times comes.
    Always remember that.

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    ITT: pseud misunderstands basic psychology, proceeds to call everyone who does understand pseuds.

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Because a group of people concerned with their own interest will butt frick you if you run around being selfish.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Why experience and pain/suffering that doesn't benefit me at the bottom line
      You aren't refuting my point. So I must experience the minimum amount of pain and suffering in order to avoid being buttfricked, and then what? Why experience any more pain/suffering that doesn't benefit me at the bottom line

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        What pain and suffering are other people causing you? why don’t you live this self interested Chad dream you have instead of talking about it on the internet.

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Well that's capitalism so

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    It’s in your self interest to have a community/collective because they are stronger than individuals. There could be a time when you need to rely on them, such as if you get unlucky and experience some sort of tragedy. So it’s worth investing a bit into others so you know they have your back when times get tough

    Basically it’s in your self interest to be a team player

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    OP here. I'm genuinely amazed that the only answers to imply people shouldn't live in and for self interest are people who talk about 'good and bad' people who 'do and dont care about others' even though thats not what I was asking about

    like is it fear of an existential crisis or is it just stupidity?

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    There's nothing wrong with it as long as you don't harm others.

  11. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Trying to explain that not everyone is a total anti-social piece of shit on IQfy is like trying to explain colors on a colorblind forum where people think colors are a conspiracy.

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    completely logical if you are an atheist

  13. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You should. Call me a sociopath for this but i couldn't give less of a shit for most people surrounding me or society as a whole. You are your first, second and third priority. Every decision you make you should first inspect it from a personal pov rather than give a shit about this degenerate society full of people who are a waste of resources

  14. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You should. Anyone who says otherwise wants to exploit you.

  15. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    you're not supposed to be a martyr or a altruist if you don't see a point in it or if it doesn't get your rocks off to play hero, if you see no point in it don't do it

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