self-interest versus the common good

those two impulses are mutually exclusive, although certain circumstances allow them to appear complementary

extreme self-interest (selfishness, avarice, avidity, greed) .. to some people is more than merely acceptable — it’s literally all that matters .. acting to further personal ambitions or gratification is one thing. It’s another thing entirely to believe that such raw self-interest is the best or only way to serve the common good for everyone

100% in either direction (all greedy self-interest or total commitment to the greater good) is a recipe for disaster. Any individual devoted totally to the common good (and thus entirely self-denying) tends to less effective as an agent in the real world, judged a fool or dreamer, and quite possibly martyred.

selfishness and altruism

virtue of selfishness

linked mentions for "self-interest versus the common good":

1. virtue of selfishness
   Concept of Egoism, 1964, Ayn Rand and the writer (and lover) Nathaniel Branden … Objectivist philosophy themes include the identification and