Definition: Enlightened Self-Interest
Posted on August 10th, 2007 by admin
Doing something out of ’self-interest’ but defining self-interest in a
broad enough and sufficiently long-term &/or sufficiently
consequential way that bears in mind societal impact.
Example: working to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is not
‘altruistic’ at all. It is based on the imperative to prevent a
tragic world for our offspring. It is based on the recognition that
if the conflict doesn’t get resolved, it will impact all of OUR lives
- and that if WE don’t take steps to end it - nobody will do it for us.
.
[…] the lines of the term "enlightened self-interest" which we coined to highlight the imperative of citizens thinking long-term and holistically […]
[…] Al Gore spoke poignantly about the imperative of joining forces to rescue our planet. If enlightened self-interest is to mean anything, it has to be that our personal well-being is dependent on the well-being of […]
enlightened self -interest, an understanding that through your-SELF in harmony with the immutable laws, that what you give, you receive, thus you will be giving everything that you want.
1) “Everybody does better when everybody does better.”
2) “individual interests are best served by mutual cooperation.”
3) “…a shared sense of responsibility.”