New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1894-03-28
A CHAPTER ON EGOTISM.
A Little Contribution to Self-knowledge
bya Local Writer.


many dissenting opinions as to the basis
of morality, most people agree as to the
purpose, and final aim, of ethics, namely,
that man should be enabled to govern
his egotism; he should not hesitate in
restraining it whenever his conscience
demands it.
For egotism, the instructive regard of
ones self needs no squirting, and although
it is to certain extent not only pardon
able or justitiable, but absolutely .ncces-
sary, most frequently goes 100 far.
We wan to draw d limit therefore,
which cannot be done by laws, by hope
of reward and fear of punishment, he it
in life or after death, nor by prudent re-
gard of ones own reputation, but only
by insight into mans destination and
standing in the world, and by moral
tact.
AS to mans destination it is plain that
he should make the best possible use of
his faculties, and Of the means at his dis
posal, for the good of himself and of his
fellow men.
But what is the individuals standing
in the world? Is it Of much account in,
or from, itself? Is not even the greatest
genius product of his time, who could
not have reached such high aims if he
had not been upheld and nursed, So to
speak, by his nation and by the rest Of
civilized humanity as well? Goethe or
Shakespeare if brought up among sava-
:ges could not have become what they did
in their highly civilized surroundings.
Indeed even such most prominent indi-
viduals appear insignificant compared to
the whole of mankind and it's acquire
ments in the course of history.
Our feeling of Importance as individu-
ais being thus reduced to the proper le-
vel, we may now see about the moral
tact or conscience. From its rudest
form in the infancy of mankind, when
we might almost think it latent, when
no action that did not oppose the estab-
lished religion, or the commands of su-
periors, was regarded as immoral, no
matter how egotistic, it has slowly de-
veloped to wonderful ineness in some
men, though their number be small
Making the feeling of esteem, the feel
ing for what is grand and sublime, the
basis of their morals, they regard only
such actions as perfectly moral as hare
not been preceded by the question about
their usefulness. For when this ques-
ton has once been raised, the action,
even If finally done without regard to
any advantage or damage resulting from
it, is not any more the espontaneous work.
ing Of our conscience, our feeling of du-
ty and right, but is done only to keep up
the principle. Of course such actions
are good ard show firmness of character,
but they are not up to that highest stand
ard.
Philosophers there ale who have main
tanned that actions like the above did
not occur at all; we could in every in
stance, they say, find out where the ego
tism comes,in, provided everybody were
exposed to the light of scrutiny as to the
working of his moral conscience.
And if we take the average ''lawabid-
ing citZen,' WE may be obliged to con-
ccle that his actions only too often have
no moral value whatever, but rest in
motives that originated from egotism or
scltishncss. But it is certainly going too
far to say that there are no pure moral
actions at all, such as are done on the
very first impulse of conscience, and re-
this kind may be rare. but they afford
a real and honest satisfaction, they create
JOY in our hearts that nothing can equal |:
and being put up as examples worthy of
imitation they are thereby made the ba-
sis, or part of the basis of morality.
And thus we plainly see before us the
task-an endless proposed to man,
! that he should acquire the faculty of al
ways acting as indicated above. Other
wise there would be no need of ethics,
for the civil laws and that old dprecept of
a somewhat refined egotism-'' as you
want others to act towards you''-would
be amply sufficient.
/ The relation to one another of moral
; law. conscience, and character is not
readily understood by most men; per-
| haps it may be tittingly compared to that
of the three branches of our government,
legislative, Judiciary, and executive. AS
the best actions of the best men of all