The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1914-04-16
EGOTISM
BY Raymond cheIlinu

Ever since men began to break
away from the old. Thou shalt not,
rule of conduct, they have looked for
some new rule az a guide to life.
Such a rule egotism offers.
First, divest your mind Of the idea
that egoism means egotism. Mere.
dts novel, The Egoist, is mistaken.
ly SO entitled. 1t should have been
The Egotist. Egoism is the theory
that in determining his actions the
individual should do what gives him
most pleasure.
Oh, not pleasure, you will say, plea.
sure is but low motive. You can.
not mean that he is to sacrifice all
his future and the happiness Of his
friends to the gross indulgence of the
moment.
Is the gross indulgence OF the. mo-
ment then, your only conception of
pleasure? Does the happiness of
your friends and family give you no
pleasure? Do you feel Joy in sacri-
ficing your future prospects? a
Do you not see that pleasure is
many sided? that 1t includes, be-
sides the indulgence of the moment,
everything else that may be infuenc-
ed by your immediate action through
out your whole life; including the
large number Of pleasures that we
call altruistic, the pleasures of SYM
pathy, the pleasure in the pleasure
Of others?
Well, but pleasure is not the word,
you will say. To speak Of being guild
ed by your own pleasure only is mis-
leading. Why not call It by some
other name?
Call it what you please, reply.
Call it qualification, call it advantage,
call 1t ultimate benefit. But bear in
mind that to most people, what is
most for their advantage or most for
their ultimate benefit gives them plea
sure does it not? The only reason
why you balk ait the word pleasure is
because, up to the present time, vir-
tue has been identified with the UNI
pleasant, just as formerly the most
be that with the most nauseous taste.
Egoism comes to change all this;
to point out that the real virtue lies
in doing agreeable things; to destroy
the foolish old refrain, It's naughty,
but it's nice; to point out that If 1t
is really nice it is not naughty.
Egoism gives us a standing ground
to Judge each action not on general
principles, but upon its immediate de-
STABILITY.
am going home to shoot my wife,
says virtue? Will it give you any plea |
sure to do so? asks egoism. Far from |
1t, ! am very fond of her and shall
deeply regret it. Then, suppose you
think that she will enjoy It? hard
ly think SO, but she ought to be shot.
I do not know what you mean by say
ing ought, says egoism. What! Not
know what ought means, flames up
virtue, / suppose you do not know
what duty means, either; ! suppose
yoa do not know the difference be
tween right and wrong. III
No. can't say that do, replies
egoism, but If you are going to shoot
your wife, not for your pleasure nor
advantage, nor for hers, nor for amy
body's else, as far as ! can see, but
solely out of Difference to certain
magical words, of which you yourself
do not know the meaning, 1t seems to
me that you are sacrificing realities
10 mere bogy worship.
For such words as right and wrong,
duty, ought, while valid in connection
with the authoritative ethical system
which invented them, are quite mean
ngless in a rational ethical system.
Duty means conformity to the Will OF
Tod. Right means the same and
yronp mpans inst the opposite. But |