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"The human character has to basic tendencies: egoism and altruism. Egoism embodies the ethic of 'having': I am worth a million dollars because I have a million dollars. Altruism embodies the ethic of "being"; that 'I am worth what I am, as a measure of my virtues and defects'."
-Juan Antonion Blanco
Comments
Semantically I'm going to have to disagree with this quote even though I like what it is trying to say.
Posted by: markio | May 10, 2004 10:32 PM
please expand. i'd like to know what you'd say differently. especially as i'm a semantics critic at heart.
Posted by: matt | May 11, 2004 10:05 AM
I would have to disagree as well. This quote implies that altruism and egoism are both directly related to the "self". I would say by the very definition of the word, altruism has nothing to do with the self except in its denial.
Posted by: Jer | May 11, 2004 12:23 PM
i dont think thats true jer. to be altruistic is still a definition of self. the action of altruism is not, but the state of mind is. the point of that statement is to say there is a difference between a self worth based on what you have and one based on how you behave and therefore affect others. i think it works just fine.
ALTRUISM
\Al"tru*ism\, n. [F. altruisme (a word of Comte's), It. altrui of or to others, fr. L. alter another.] Regard for others, both natural and moral; devotion to the interests of others; brotherly kindness; -- opposed to egoism or selfishness.
VIRTUE
1: the quality of doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong
2: any admirable quality or attribute; "work of great merit"
DEFECT
2. Failing; fault; imperfection, whether physical or moral; blemish; as, a defect in the ear or eye; a defect in timber or iron; a defect of memory or judgment.
Posted by: matt | May 11, 2004 1:32 PM
Altruism requires that there is an "other" involved in order to express it. Altruism without expression is not altruism. And I have no idea where defects come in save as an admitance of a natural state of fallen humanity. And egoism requires no outside source. Egoism is in essence selfishness and simply requires that one values oneself above others.
Posted by: markio | May 11, 2004 3:37 PM
That makes sense. Interesting though... this is one of the definitions that I found:
1. Unselfish concern for the welfare of others; selflessness.
2. Zoology. Instinctive cooperative behavior that is detrimental to the individual but contributes to the survival of the species.
I like how that second one is worded. You could apply both of these words to the the idea of "having". Altruism could be described as having/wanting less, where egoism would be having/wanting more. And Mark, I think your description of egoism still requires an "other", only it requires someone to be better than, or to have more than. I think I'm getting dizzy...
Posted by: Jer | May 11, 2004 4:29 PM
ok, now i understand what you're talking about. i still think the statement is a correct one in that virtues and defects are determined by actions which are determined by morality. so to be altruistic, one would expect the sense of self worth based on the good and bad you do in society (or nature). i think defects fit in because if you strive to be outward thinking, then the missteps you make will be weighed internaly against the virtuous things you do.
the context of this quote may matter. it comes from a man talking about the difference between the social ideology in a socialist country opposed to in a capitalistic society.
perhaps the altruistic definition is simply too short and requires more qualifiers.
Posted by: matt | May 11, 2004 8:20 PM