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Entry: Against Unselfishness Link: http://www.takimag.com/blogs/article/against_unselfishness#18341 Post contents: With all due respect, Miss (Mrs.?) Konkola, you seem to have missed Mr. Zmirak's point. He is saying that *not* all self-interest is proud or tainted by original sin. "Love your neighbor as you love your- -self" means that some love of self is legitimate. It is in everyone's enlightened self-interest to achieve happiness, i.e. to get into Heaven. Dying to self is not some nihilistic goal in itself, but rather a means to live to God, which is the best thing anyone can achieve for himself. Loving God and neihbor is true, humble, meek love of self. "Pure altruism" is the inverse of Randian self-centeredness. It postulates a zero-sum universe, where one cannot truly give to others without taking away from oneself. No, giving really does benefit the giver, too, and humility helps the humble. Enlightened self-interest, as illuminated by Faith, is not pride. Sent at: 2008 09 08