The independent., 1903-05-14

same SORT OF regard rOr the egOlSt as
the cultured musician who delights in
Wagner has for the boor whose musi-
cal perception cannot soar above
Yankee Doodle. Nothing is clearer
to candid mind than that all sane
human effort is aimed either at the
direct satisfaction of human Instincts,
desires and appetites, or else at the
Illustration Of Influences which appear
to be inimical to that satisfaction. In
short, unselfishness pure and simple
ooes not, cannot exist. There is no
such thing.
We can see then that associated
inseparably with all sane human eff
fort there is an element Of selfishness
@, self-interest. This is because in
the last analysis the pursuit of hap
piness, which our Declaration of Inde-
pendence SO stoutly stands for. is
what man is made for and what he
exists and lives for; in other words,
it is his prime, orderly, rightful func-
ton. This element Of selfishness is
diverse in its motives and expressions,
and is susceptible of classification in
to degrees.
L udfC dltSlApbCu " outAiiO IhAo
classification with the following re-
suit:
/. Ogreism. The delight of the
pursuit of happiness through the suf-
ferings of others, or in wanton de-
struction Examples of this degree
are seen in Nero, in Jack the Ripper,
in children who tear the wings from
flies or torture dogs and cats and
other children.
2. Egoism. The delight of the
pursuit of happiness through minis
tering to ones own desires or in
procuring others to minister to them,
with Indifference as to the result, one
way or the other, to the welfare OF
others. Napoleon Bonaparte is an
extreme example of this degree.
3. Altruism. The delight of the
pursuit of happiness through minis
tering to others from a perception
that satisfaction comes rather by way
of reflection through the welfare and
happiness of others than by the egois-
tic way. This is the prevailing trend
of the human mind, the theological
doctrine Of original depravity and the
present inverted state of society not
withstanding.
4. Pietism. The delight of the pur-
suit Of happiness through altruism,
but enhanced by the perception that
this method is in accord with the will
of supreme power and runs In the
channels of divine order and desire
To Christian peoples Jesus of Ma
zareth, the Darwin of ethical science,
is the most conspicuous exemplar OF
this mood. He is also the greatest
exponent in history of the philosophy
of self-interest. All His teachings aim
at the practical pursuit and achieve
ment of beatific satisfaction, although
He points out that ogreism and egoism
are not without their rewards. We
are not yet trained to the fullest ap-
probation of His doctrines, but some
of us feel that we can already per-
ceive, by and through our own linn
tied experience in altruistic ways,
how His exhortations to resist not
evil, to turn the other cheek, and to
do good to them that hate us, may
indicate the very caviar of self-in-
terest.
To my attempt at gradation some
of you will doubtless retort that what
I have called altruism and pietism
is the same as unselfishness, and that
l am juggling with terms to no USE
full purpose.
Henry George, the Darwin of po-
litical economy, whose writings have
made delectable what was formerly a
dismal science, shows how the term
inology of that science has been sad
ly mixed by its professors, with the
result that erroneous teachings in ma
tional economics have been the rule
rather than the exception. Similar
confusion and error exist in the do
main of religion and ethics, keeping
men from a proper understanding OF
themselves and of each other. Any
body who will contribute to the cor.
rection of the disorder will surely per-
form useful work, although in doing
so he may play havoc with some of
the figments which masquerade as
Christian virtues.
If it can be generally understood
that self-interest is the righteous, or
derly incentive in all human effort,
and that man can act from regard
to his Creator and at the same time
from regard for himself, it will bring