Quotes About Self-interest

We have an infinite capacity for self interest, yet the infinite has absolutely no interest in us

Because God is never cruel, there is a reason for all things. We must know the pain of loss; because if we never knew it, we would have no compassion for others, and we would become monsters of self-regard, creatures of unalloyed self-interest. The terrible pain of loss teaches humility to our prideful kind, has the power to soften uncaring hearts, to make a better person of a good one.

One might almost define intelligence as the level at which an aware organism demands, 'What's in it for me?

Our will is always for our own good, but we do not always see what that is.

Men's truths rather too neatly fit their convenience, have you ever noticed that?

Be careful in your relations with those in power; they draw you close or allow you to approach them only when they need you. They are your friends when your friendship is useful to them and affords them pleasure, but they forget you when you are in trouble. Elie Wiesel quoting Rabban Gamliel

Why did anyone ever act beyond the scope of base self-interest?

Bacon, Locke, Descartes, Hume, and all the others knew they were giving rights to vulgarity. But in so doingin addition to caring for mans well-beingthey were providing rights for themselves.

Theoretically, politics was about bridging divides. Realistically, it was mostly every man (and woman) for themselves.

Human beings are emotional amoral egoists, driven above all by emotional self-interest. All of our thoughts, beliefs and motivations are neurochemically mediated, some predetermined for survival, others alterable.

The most powerful forces in economics are not numbers or facts. They are prejudices and preferences. No amount of evidence will ever change the degree to which many of the rich and powerful prefer themselves to be richer and more powerful and others poorer and weaker.

That every person is desirous to obtain, with as little sacrifice as possible, as much as possible of the articles of wealth.

Bill Clinton is not a hypocrite. If a man believes that it is just and moral to redistribute wealth, there is nothing hypocritical in his attempts to redistribute some of that wealth to himself.

I am always someone who follows the research more than my self-interest. It certainly has not been in my self-interest to defend men. I've gone from being quite wealthy, when I was defending women, to being quite poor defending men.

Police are supposed to protect and serve, but sadly, they protect their self-interest first and foremost.

I get the feeling a lot of politicians are there to help themselves financially, first and foremost.

People don't like politicians.

A politician will do anything to keep his job - even become a patriot.

Washington is deeply frustrating because so many of the positions that politicians hold are a product of ephemeral self-interest. They reverse themselves, for themselves, all the time.

Capitalism has destroyed our belief in any effective power but that of self interest backed by force.

I don't really give a damn about too much other than myself.

I wouldn't tell nobody to sign no slave deal or sign your life away or nothing like that, but if the deal is right and if it benefits you, you'd be a fool if you did not take advantage of it.

Takers are self-serving in their interactions. It's all about what can you do for me.

We have an obligation to spread amateur baseball both at home and abroad. Building up the game at all levels - Little League, Babe Ruth Leagues, the colleges - is in our own self-interest. That's where the pool of talent is - and also of fans.