Quotes About Self-interest

Just observe the nation that is defended by devoted patriots. The patriots fall in bloody battle or in the fight with hunger and want; what does the nation care for that? By the manure of their corpses the nation comes to "its bloom"! The individuals have died "for the great cause of the nation," and the nation sends some words of thanks after them and - has the profit of it. I call that a paying kind of egoism.

Now it is clear, God cares only for what is his, busies himself only with himself, thinks only of himself, and has only himself before his eyes; woe to all that is not well pleasing to him. He serves no higher person, and satisfies only himself. His cause is - a purely egoistic cause.

God cares only for what is his, busies himself with only himself, thinks only of himself, and has only himself before his eyes...He serves no higher person, and satisfies only himself. His cause is--A purely egoistic cause.

Betrachtet einmal das Volk, das von ergebenen Patrioten geschützt wird. Die Patrioten fallen im blutigen Kampfe oder im Kampfe mit Hunger und Not; was fragt das Volk danach? Das Volk wird durch den Dünger ihrer Leichen ein "blühendes Volk"! Die Individuen sind "für die große Sache des Volkes" gestorben, und das Volk schickt ihnen einige Worte des Dankes nach und - hat den Profit davon. Das nenn' Ich Mir einen einträglichen Egoismus.

The person is repulsive to it because of being "egoistic," because of not being that abstraction, Man.

Do vraga, ništa nije toliko naopako kao dobro u?injeno s ciljem, ni toliko glupo kao ?ovjek koji nešto ho?e po svome kalupu.

Bone didn't know yet that the men who own the world don't get to do that by being magnanimous and overly interested in other people. They get to do it by taking care of themselves along the way. They stoke the fire of their own reputations, and sometimes other people come by, asking: What's that you're doing there? Oh, stoking the fire of my reputation. Can I help? Certainly. Go get some wood.

But many people want to look upon God with the eyes with which they look upon a cow; they want to love God the way they love a cow that you love because it gives you milk and cheese. This is how people behave who want to love God because of external wealth or inner comfort; but they do not love God properly: rather, they love their self interest.

We have lived for too long in the dreary region of homo economicus, our lives shadowed by principles of self-interest, utilitarian 'necessities,' instrumental moralities. But we are permitted to hope; to revive those great and optimistic words of Breton: 'Perhaps the imagination is on the verge of recovering its rights.' We must welcome, as did the Surrealists, the re-entry into modern life of homo ludens, the imaginative man at play, the intuitive visionary.

How does the economist help? By promoting policies that rely, whenever possible, on self-interest rather than altruism or moral considerations, the economist saves society from squandering its scarce supply of virtue. "If we economists do [our] business well," Robertson concludes, "we can, I believe, contribute mightily to the economizing Ã¢â'¬Â¦ of that scarce resource Love," the "most precious thing in the world."49

I don't return anybody's calls unless it's going to mean extra money for me. And I've completely cut off all relationships with any friends that I had before the show. And I've copped an attitude.

In the final analysis all people—and governments alike—act in their self-interest.

The world runs on individuals pursuing their self interests. The great achievements of civilization have not come from government bureaus. Einstein didn't construct his theory under order from a, from a bureaucrat. Henry Ford didn't revolutionize the automobile industry that way.

Well first of all, tell me, is there some society you know of that doesn't run on greed? You think Russia doesn't run on greed? You think China doesn't run on greed? What is greed?

I'm a businessman. And I wat you to be a businessman. And whenever you go to these meetings, I want you to think for yourself, and I want you to think about promoting your own interests no matter what. All these people both the Japanese and the Koreans - are fucked because they keep thinking about the group. But here's the truth: There's no such thing as a benevolent leader. I protect you because you work for me.

Capitalism is greed driven.

I become quite melancholy and deeply grieved to see men behave to each other as they do. Everywhere I find nothing but base flattery, injustice , self-interest, deceit and roguery. I cannot bear it any longer; I'm furious; and my intention is to break with all mankind.

We may test the hypothesis that the State is largely interested in protecting itself rather than its subjects by asking: which category of crimes does the State pursue and punish most intensely — those against private citizens or those against itself?

Whenever someone starts talking about 'fair competition' or indeed, about 'fairness' in general, it is time to keep a sharp eye on your wallet, for it is about to be picked.

Business is two-faced, hypocritical self-interest diplomacy.

The exchange rate of the currencies of human weakness is growing, on the stock exchange it is self-interest, people are becoming weaker mentally and spiritually.

Friendship does not exist beyond personal interest. Self-interest will always win the game of life.

Obviously, no one can escape the chains of self-interest. It is the same attribute of self-interest that shapes our judgments.

On an individual level, we have nothing in common except to put our self-interest before anything else.