LIVE WITHOUT HARMING! ENJOY SELF-INTEREST AND AVOID SELFISHNESS

It is useful to distinguish between healthy self-interest and harmful selfishness. With self-interest, we seek good things for ourselves, our loved ones, and the groups which we belong to (which can be seen as extensions of ourselves), but without harming anyone or taking away what they have earned honestly.

Toxic selfishness, on the other hand, consists of obtaining the things we desire at the expense of others—that is, by causing them suffering and harm.

We should not prioritize our interests, but rather our rights. When our interests do not align with our rights, it means seeking privileges by trampling on the rights of others, as was the case with the Apartheid system in South Africa. The majority of white people in that country voted for the nationalist party to secure their political and economic power at the cost of exploiting black people. This is a simple example, but abusive selfishness has been the norm rather than the exception throughout history and remains widespread around the world.

Therefore, the foundation for building a better world in which we do not trample on one another is to exercise harmless self-interest while simultaneously avoiding harmful selfishness at all costs. This applies not only to our close circle of family, friends and acquaintances, but to all sentient beings, including other ethnicities, races or species.

Read “Reject racism, ethnicism, xenophobia and ultranationalism”

LIVE WITHOUT HARMING: Reject unscrupulous speciesism

Since most of us have a small corner in our brain (specifically the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) where our innate sense of justice is believed to reside—developed to a greater or lesser extent (except perhaps in extreme psychopaths)—you know that what I have just told you is correct.

Despite this, it is not easy to constructively channel that hyper-predatory and egocentric tendency we all have, as it is deeply and naturally rooted within us. It is especially complicated when accompanied by that other uniquely human trait: deception. This consists of wearing masks to appear as something we are not, presenting ourselves and others with an embellished image, as if edited with Photoshop.

When we act with petty selfishness and hypocrisy, we benefit at the expense of harming others while simultaneously doing something (such as a classic “act of charity”) or saying something (such as a typical speech on solidarity and humanitarianism) to project an image to ourselves and others that we are, in fact, altruistic.

REPAIR THE HARM! Small acts of charity do not cancel the harm we cause

Let’s not give in to this side of our nature. Although we all carry this type of pettiness in our genes, let’s not be so much “ourselves” in it. Let’s be true to ourselves in everything that is harmless, and especially in our innate sense of justice, being genuine with our noble side. But let’s not be so authentic with our vile part. Because we can take up the chisel and, to a great extent, shape ourselves however we wish, just as Michelangelo shaped his masterpieces.

HOW TO LIVE WITHOUT HARMING? Say no to toxic sanctimony

Let’s replace our congenital selfishness with a commitment toward happiness and rights for everyone, including all types of sentient beings. Let’s move from “Me and the others” or “Us and Them” to “All of us,” and from “This suits me and mine, so to hell with the rest” to “Let’s be considerate of everyone.”

FOR A WORLD WITHOUT HARM: Be considerate

If you believe that spreading this message helps create a better world to live in, with less abuse and hardship, please share it on all your social networks and with most or all of your contacts.

Thank you very much for doing so,