Egoism

Psychological Egoism postulates that human beings act purely selfishly – that all people have personal motivational factors at the root of any interaction they engage in. Ethical Egoism suggests that certain acts we perform are simply our nature. Therefore, acting out of self-interest stems from our desire for self-preservation and is only natural, acceptable and even moral.

            A police officer probably would like to avoid being shot. Most people don’t want to be shot, but if it came down to it, in the event of a drive by shooting, for example, most people would hide behind another individual and would most likely avoid jumping in front of another person in order to preserve their own lives. According to psychological egoism, people from all walks of life, will undoubtedly dodge danger and live up to the saying “every man for himself.”

           These issues allude to the concept of self-interest. Prosecutors, for example, carry a similar stigma to that of a salesman or a mechanic. The stigma I am referring to suggests individuals in these fields will forget about ethics and personal morals in order to achieve what they need, or to make a profit. “What they need” is the essence of this last statement. They are acting out of self-interest. They most likely have families and therefore their self-interest extends towards their family members. However, morals can become difficult to assess. In returning to the concept of ethical egoism, an ethical egoist  is always self serving. So while choices may at times appear to potentially be made without an ethical foundation, but a starving family may be the reason why. To go a bit deeper, the unethical salesman, trying to feed his family, is ultimately attempting to avoid guilt or personal concern for his family - the salesman is thinking about his own well-being. A good example of a struggling moral human issue could be of a man who steals medicine to provide aid to a sick child… while the act is immoral, and the man is still committing a crime, the crime seems less sever due to the circumstances. These are factors people need to take in to consideration in order to formulate righteous judgment.

Initially, ethical egoism may sound strictly self-serving. However, this may not necessarily be the case. In the case of the last example, people are often placed in situations where they need to push an agenda in an effort to preserve home and family. Initially, it may seem appropriate to simply assume an apparently selfish individual is making poor choices. However, this may be rash. It is important to consider all sides of every aspect and be aware of individual factors. In doing so, individuals in any given interaction will better preserve relationships, build lasting bonds and promote future acts of selflessness.