Self-Interest is a delicate topic one must tread lightly over when discussing it with others because almost every individual has a different viewpoint on how self-interest and the common good should be balanced. There is a grand conflict between whether a person should live for their own self-interest or the common good. Some hear the phrase self-interest and think of a conceited person who only lives to better themselves, but this is not entirely true. Yes, the common good is something to take pride in, but looking out for oneself is also exceedingly important and should be thought of as a positive quality instead of a negative one.
There are various stories where people fight to get rid of the individualistic qualities in a society and …show more content…
Communism has a no privately owned property policy; it is a form of socialism. According to the socialist view, individuals do not live or work alone but live in cooperation with one another. This means everything that people produce is in some sense a social product, and everyone who contributes to the production of a good is entitled to a share in it. It is not a very stable setup, but it is a well thought out idea that could have potentially succeeded. The common good is also a peaceful and kind way of life; when someone devotes their lives to helping the greater good, they are taken as some sort of saint. Even just basic acts of kindness that help someone else is considered working towards the greater good. An exceptional example of this is when Okonkwo goes and asks a neighbor for help, “‘Many young men have come to ask me for yams but I have refused... But I can trust you... I shall give you twice four hundred yams. Go ahead and prepare your farm’ Okonkwo thanked him again and again and went home feeling happy” (Achebe 22). The greater good is something wonderful to work for, but in plenty of cases, when one person thinks they are doing the right thing and helping out the whole, they are often not. A majority of the time a person is expecting …show more content…
It may sound like a narcissistic quality to praise, but when one takes control of their own self-interest and what they need, it can help everyone around them also try to do their best, thus increasing overall success. The common good and self-interest are intertwined; the action in one may lead to a reaction in the other. Self-interest is very important in leading a happy and healthy life for years on end. However, one cannot take the aspect of self-interest for granted as in Things Fall Apart when Unoka continuously tries to better himself with no regard to how it was affecting anyone else. All he did was borrow from people, promising to pay everyone back, but he never was able to before he died (Achebe 6). Self-interest should be used but not abused as an opportunistic trait. It is a positive trait each and every person uses and should continue to use in their everyday lives. Reliance on what someone can do for themselves is far from a degrading, negative trait. One needs to first learn to trust themselves and what they can do before they can help others accomplish their
There are various stories where people fight to get rid of the individualistic qualities in a society and …show more content…
Communism has a no privately owned property policy; it is a form of socialism. According to the socialist view, individuals do not live or work alone but live in cooperation with one another. This means everything that people produce is in some sense a social product, and everyone who contributes to the production of a good is entitled to a share in it. It is not a very stable setup, but it is a well thought out idea that could have potentially succeeded. The common good is also a peaceful and kind way of life; when someone devotes their lives to helping the greater good, they are taken as some sort of saint. Even just basic acts of kindness that help someone else is considered working towards the greater good. An exceptional example of this is when Okonkwo goes and asks a neighbor for help, “‘Many young men have come to ask me for yams but I have refused... But I can trust you... I shall give you twice four hundred yams. Go ahead and prepare your farm’ Okonkwo thanked him again and again and went home feeling happy” (Achebe 22). The greater good is something wonderful to work for, but in plenty of cases, when one person thinks they are doing the right thing and helping out the whole, they are often not. A majority of the time a person is expecting …show more content…
It may sound like a narcissistic quality to praise, but when one takes control of their own self-interest and what they need, it can help everyone around them also try to do their best, thus increasing overall success. The common good and self-interest are intertwined; the action in one may lead to a reaction in the other. Self-interest is very important in leading a happy and healthy life for years on end. However, one cannot take the aspect of self-interest for granted as in Things Fall Apart when Unoka continuously tries to better himself with no regard to how it was affecting anyone else. All he did was borrow from people, promising to pay everyone back, but he never was able to before he died (Achebe 6). Self-interest should be used but not abused as an opportunistic trait. It is a positive trait each and every person uses and should continue to use in their everyday lives. Reliance on what someone can do for themselves is far from a degrading, negative trait. One needs to first learn to trust themselves and what they can do before they can help others accomplish their