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Right on.
If I refuse to represent my own interests, why should I expect that a government or a society somewhere will represent my interests for me?
But we are routinely asked to prioritize the interests of a party, a country, a religion, or some other entity/system above our personal interests. We get groupthink that way. And then we wonder why our Dems just throw us an occasional crumb, and nothing more. And the dirty truth is that most of us will ourselves only throw ourselves crumbs or even nothing at all. Selfishness is routinely derided and mocked.
A healthy democracy absolutely requires unapologetically self-centered citizens going through a balancing process. A person that refuses to unapologetically rep their own interests has voluntarily surrendered their personal seat at the table, and then can't rightly complain the party/government/boss is overlooking their interests.
We each need to vigorously and unapologetically rep our personal interests first to have a shot at a real democracy.
Selfless folks belong under a dictator.
What sort of Gordon Gecko / Kissinger, sociopathic nonsense is this? The problem is not enough empathy, not too much. People should prioritize what's good for society because what's good for society is also good for the individual. Things like universal healthcare, environmental protections, collective bargaining. I'm a straight white healthy dude, I guess I should just ignore LGBT, women, minorities, sick people, disabled people, education (I already am learned so fuck them kids) maybe a little genocide as long as it's not against me personally. Might as well pull the ladder up because I don't need it anymore, it's in me personal interest!
A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.
It's not bullshit. When I rep my interests, those include democracy, a dignified minimum standard of living for all as a human right, etc. Because that is what I want in MY world, and I own that.
Being self-centered doesn't mean being a dick in all circumstances. It does mean embracing all the human qualities instead of just some. There are no bad qualities, only bad users of those qualities. Impatience, aggressiveness, and so on are not inherently bad. Some circumstances call for a fighter. Some for a lover. Some circumstances require immediate action. Some require patience. All the qualities have their rightful use.
You kept using the words "personal interests" though. When you extend those interests to broader society, that's no longer personal by definition. You're just describing voting for what you believe will create the society you want to live in, but you framed it in a misleading way as if personal greed will get us there.
On a philosophical level, you've separated these qualities from their application. Can we agree that when a situation calls for empathy but someone employs violence, that this is bad?
No, when I want democracy, that's what I want. That is my personal interest even if it involves you. You could hate democracy, then you'd be my foe. I would not talk it over with you, I would just steamroll you.
I would only negotiate if what you want is really close to what I want, and I made a calculation that an additional ally is worth more to me than the exactitude of my aim/interest. But again, I, and I alone, make that calculation for my benefit alone.
I am at peace with the notion that some people are better off dead.
I make all the major life changing strategic decisions in solitude.