Is Selfishness a virtue?
I would say selfishness is not a virtue, but protecting what is yours is. I have no problem with giving my time and money to chartiy – I raised quite a bit of money for charity last month actually. But here is the difference, I did it voluntarily and I gave the money to an organization I trust to help people. I refuse to believe that refusing surrendering more of my money involuntarily to the government so they can pass it around to their friends is “selfish.” It is, in fact, responsible and being responsible is definitely a virtue.
Enlightened self interest is not the same as selfishness, just as ambition is not the same thing as greed. Ayn Rand dumbed down the english language when she made these concepts equivalent. You are misusing words and thinking that you are making a point. I admire that you have struggled to achieve what you have, and don’t consider that selfish. Selfishness is when you can’t share at all, and it’s obvious you work for your family. So you are not selfish. Selfishness, as it is actually defined (not redefined by right wing ideologues) is not a virtue.
