Is being very selfish the best way to live life?

redpillschool · 2019-04-16T17:43:23+00:00

Being selfish is important. Nobody will care about you more than you, so it's your job to take care of you.

That said, don't let selfishness be a stand-in for making short-sightedly bad decisions. If you treat everybody around you like shit don't be surprised when your social investments never pay out.

Being selfish means getting what you want now, but also ensuring you can still get what you want later. Being antisocial won't help that.

VasiliyZaitzev · 2019-04-16T18:00:18+00:00

Yes, but without being a douche, which is sort of what you are describing. Think more in terms of “Enlightened Self-Interest”.

reddysettygo · 2019-04-16T19:43:28+00:00

Perhaps a healthy amount of selfishness, to the degree similar to airline safety announcements: “. . . place the oxygen mask on yourself first before attempting to help others . . . “

Abnull · 2019-04-16T20:55:15+00:00

Not at all. Take care of yourself first. This might seem selfish to beta cucks. It's not. After you have taken care of yourself, be generous.

If you want to excel in life and especially business, selfishness will be your down fall. It will limit you to mediocrity.

FereallyRed · 2019-04-16T17:14:37+00:00

Yes.

Don't tell anybody, though.

mrpoopistan · 2019-04-16T22:01:33+00:00

The obsession with outright selfishness is one of the things I believe TRP gets very wrong. In primatology, there have been studies that indicate alpha males benefit from significant generosity.

There is an ever-present threat that a beta male -- in the proper primatological sense of a close and strong beneficiary of the alpha leader, not the incorrect TRP sense that anyone who isn't king is just meat -- may overthrow the alpha at any time. The benefit of not being selfish for the alpha male arises from forging group cohesion behind him through generosity.

With all that said, the alpha male in primatology rules as a benevolent tyrant. He still breeds much more prolifically than the strongest betas, and he will eat your goddamned face if you cross him.

It's not necessary to be selfish. But, it doesn't hurt to make sure you're always keeping score and cutting free riders and moochers loose. I promise you, a generous alpha chimp can flip a switch on any omega who makes the mistake of pissing him off.

I don't belive in religion,politics

Would this be a terrible time to point out how many psychopaths become church and political leaders? Successful people put up with lots of nonsense because we're all only born with two hands. Even the dumbest person is likely two good hands that can be put to work by an industrious leader. A good chess player appreciates the value of a pawn.

[deleted] · 2019-04-16T19:42:03+00:00

Yes. Being selfish and winning benefits the people around you who matter, but only if you possess values and are not a trash human being.

GoyInTheStripedPJs · 2019-04-16T20:00:48+00:00

In my opinion, no. Most here will say yes, and that’s fine. But I accept a form of Kantian ethics which emphasizes the importance of duty first and foremost. Duty to oneself is a central tenet of this, but it isn’t everything. I disagree with the notion that being self-serving is the best way to live life, however if you frame it as “being the best possible version of myself” like you did in the third sentence then yeah I agree entirely. I disagree with you once more though when you imply in the fourth line that one should emulate “narcissistic psychopath[s]” because they tend to be successful (a claim which is arguable in itself).

MentORPHEUS · 2019-04-16T22:56:28+00:00

Ayn Rand wrote The Virtue of Selfishness on this topic. Don't leave it on the coffee table; I'll never forget a girlfriend 20-25 years ago screaming at me during a break-up fight, "And you sit around reading books about how to be MORE SELFISH!" Covers the material well without having a character make an 80 page speech or rant.

I prefer an enlightened self-interest/Libertarian fair trader model over the usual narcissistic psychopath.

resnine · 2019-04-16T17:57:01+00:00

If you haven't read the 48 Laws of Power you should. It puts these things like these questions into perspective.

Just do what you want to do.

dtyler86 · 2019-04-17T00:31:12+00:00

Read the Fountainhead by Ayn Rand. A popular topic discussed throughout. While fictional, it’s relatable and insanely inspirational.

nexther · 2019-04-16T19:03:42+00:00

It’s the best way to live life.

TreesLikeGodsFingers · 2019-04-16T20:17:59+00:00

nobody else gives a shit about your meat bag. so yes, you need to be selfish until your needs are met

independent_rooster · 2019-04-16T20:27:31+00:00

you're more honest than selfish. a lot of people do that, but they rationalize some higher motives for their actions

californicatorz · 2019-04-16T23:43:34+00:00

Take care of yourself before helping others. Truth

dusara217 · 2019-04-16T22:34:35+00:00

If you're asking if being selfish will make you happy, then no. It won't. Generally speaking, the most consistent means of generating happiness is in finding some kind of meaningful pursuit or mission in life and then pursuing it. Errol Flynn was selfish his entire life - he did drugs, lied, screwed around, fucked everything with two legs and a vagina, and ultimately died at the age of 50 miserable and broke after having spent his whole life living for his own pleasure and after having gotten filthy rich in his twenties. Perhaps your own selfish career won't be a road to stardom like his was, but it will likely end the same way - miserable and wondering what your life could have been if you had done something meaningful with it.

If you're asking if being selfish will net you the most power and short-term hedonistic pleasure, then that is exactly what it will do.

Meaningful action begets long term happiness.

[deleted] · 2019-04-16T18:37:31+00:00

Yes.

Don_Draper27 · 2019-04-16T19:30:10+00:00

Study up on NLP. You might find some important principles.

Project_Zero_Betas · 2019-04-16T21:44:15+00:00

Once you take care of your needs, it's easier to extend that same attitude towards others. The golden rule is key IMHO.

CaptainBW · 2019-04-16T23:25:20+00:00

Context is always key, and perception is also a factor. Some people finding meaning in their own “selfishness,” others find meaning in “selflessness.” Others can strike a balance between the two, because they’re somewhat mixed together given the situation. Honestly, it sounds like you have some depression and need to sort some things out for yourself. “I don’t care about anything so I’m just going to be selfish and hopefully that brings me happiness” is what this reads as...which is a natural response to not caring about anything, although it appears as if your Soul is injured and you’ve let your Ego run amok.

[deleted] · 2019-04-17T00:39:13+00:00

To some degree. Don’t get too carried away though, or you will be labelled the “prick”. As with everything, learn balance.

DANYboy52 · 2019-04-17T01:12:05+00:00

Yes. Compassion is not a choice for most people, it is an obligation. Generally speaking people will try to get away with as much as they can or THINK they can but often social pressures are what stop them. Live by your rules

[deleted] · 2019-04-17T02:00:38+00:00

Yes I think so

Winning__ · 2019-04-17T02:51:49+00:00

Don’t confuse selfish with self love. Self preservation and growth are valuable. Others call it selfish when they don’t benefit

[deleted] · 2019-04-17T03:18:47+00:00

I am good to others around me that are best to me. I discourage any of them having anyone leech off of them so that they can better provide for me. I love them, I spend time with them and I do very well for myself and promote that within my circle.

It works very well.

chazthundergut · 2019-04-17T04:48:15+00:00

Be selfish with women, but be generous with your friends and family

Andorli · 2019-04-17T05:10:35+00:00

You sound like you are 12.

riggedved · 2019-04-17T05:50:39+00:00

Being selfish is misunderstood. You have to realise that you always have to look out for yourself and not be a pushover.

Having said that, your life will never have meaning if youre doing everything just for yourself. You can only make your life wonderful if you do things that serve your others: your family, your community, your country, your planet. That is what will give your life meaning.

ArgonOriginal · 2019-04-17T07:53:48+00:00

No, I mean take care of you first( found this the hard way - no one cares about you, your physical or mental health more than yourself) but if you are in a good place then please share with others

[deleted] · 2019-04-16T18:24:53+00:00

success comes from caring about others and yourself I believe. By caring for yourself, you allow yourself to do the best work that you can for society.

Mutual self interest is important

A truly selfish person can't see things from other people's perspective or in a flawed view, hence they suffer in business

kelticslob · 2019-04-16T22:00:10+00:00

Strongly disagree with “successful people are all narcissistic psychopaths”. Lots of successful people are extremely giving of their time and energy, and got where they are because people love them.

MetalWeather · 2019-04-16T23:24:54+00:00

Growing as a person by confronting unknowns and finding meaning will fulfill you more than chasing joy/happiness ever will.

After the last year of focusing on self discipline and facing discomfort for delayed gratification I'm a firm believer in that path. Reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and beginning to practice Stoicism sealed the deal for me.

One of the many things stoicism demands is acting for the good of others. It all fits into a larger worldview.. so I highly recommend reading Meditations to get a better picture of what I mean.

Ironic_Gangster · 2019-04-17T02:03:56+00:00

No. No matter how anti-social we, as men, are, we are still social animals. Even psychopaths get bored and want human interaction at least to keep them entertained. It's wise to always act in self interest, but truly ask yourself if you're acting in your own best interest. Acting in your own self interest isn't always doing the selfish thing. There are great advantages to comradery and building relationships, which is why humans evolved to be social animals in the first place. Hope that answers your question.

maljo24 · 2019-04-17T10:51:50+00:00

Selfishness destroys relationships.

nross368 · 2019-04-17T19:07:56+00:00

The alternative:

Be selfless

Put others first

Other people are more important than you

Don't hurt people

Be nice

Help everyone even at the expense of yourself

Let people take advantage of you

Don't stand up for yourself

Be generous with your time

Don't make yourself a threat

Don't stand out less you make others feel small

Be a bitch......

Be selfish with your money, time, and life. You're not selfish enough. You're not assertive enough. You don't care about yourself enough. You don't value yourself.

Being selfish is synonymous with bad. Not because it's bad, but because its putting your interest first. And at the expense of others. It's in the same ball park as manipulation. Manipulation can be bad or good. But is known to be bad. You can't be successful and not be selfish.

The same people that preach be selfless are the same ones that amount to nothing in life. You have to have a mix of both traits. View your in group gets good treatment where the out group gets plundered.

But if I have to teach you something this basic you're probably fucked. Go listen to to your cuck friends. Because if you're having a moral quandary about why you need to be selfish you're fucked.

Title	Is being very selfish the best way to live life?
Author	bad-_-romance
Upvotes	100
Comments	67
Date	April 16, 2019 4:55 PM UTC (7 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/bdw9z7/is_being_very_selfish_the_best_way_to_live_life/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/is-being-very-selfish-the-best-way-to-live-life.225610 https://theredarchive.com/post/225610

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