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What is it?
Self-interest refers to a focus on the needs or desires of oneself.
"Even at our best, we are only out for ourselves
We do everything, from the considerate to the heroic, for our own benefit.
Consider this.
You're walking down a quiet road one evening and
suddenly come upon a horrible scene. Ahead of you is a
truck turned on its side and lying on the pavement is the
driver, a young man. His face is bloody and he is barely
moving. What do you do? You help. But why do you
help? What, exactly, is your motive?
You are likely to reply that you helped in order to save the man and
reduce his distress. But many psychologists would offer a different
explanation
When we see someone in distress, we ourselves will also experience
feelings of distress (shock, worry or fear).
These unpleasant emotions lead us to want to reduce those feelings
and increase our own well being.
To do so, we choose to reduce our own distress by helping.
What appears to be altruistically motivated behaviour is really only
self interest in disguise
EVOLUTIONARY
MECHANISM
SELFISHNESS is hardwired into our program.
In order to pursue our own interests!!
I did this slide just to tell people its not THAT bad to be self
interested.