Thought for the Day

Of course The Big ZERO (Die Grosse NULL) is going to have a problem with selfishness.

It's not just an issue of tax policy. Before one can say, "this is wrong, I won't do it", one has to say "I".

Conscience is the expression of the ego in the moral realm. To make a moral judgment and to act on it are basically selfish acts. It is the self that sees through its own eyes and acts on its own knowledge of right and wrong.

Or to put it another way, you can't really be selfish if you can't live with yourself.

Rational Selfishness as Ayn Rand tried to define and advocate was limited to acts which benefited one's self but caused no affirmative harm or inflicted a cost on another person.

Narcissism on the other hand, especially in the political realm, is not concerned with the injuries and burdens inflicted on other people. In fact, the more destructive the consequences of obedience to those who obey the narcissist, the better. Human sacrifice with beating hearts cut out and victims flayed alive, that's great. Millions worked to death in slave labor camps in Siberia, that's better. As far as the narcissist is concerned.

Let me put it this way: In order for me to say, "I, Leslie Bates, do solemnly swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America..." I have to say "I". That was my ego speaking when I swore that oath.

I don't know what else to say on this subject.
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