Altruism
For the young and naive what is meaningful and moral behavior is doing something good for others at the expense of their own well being.
But this uncritical acceptance of altruism does more long term harm than good.
For what altruism really is is the amplification of an inner religiosity that leads to sacrificing oneself -- i.e. one’s labor, talents, time, and treasure -- at the imagined altar of the greater societal good.
But to the extent this belief system requires sacrifice, it means the destruction of actual value that could be created to benefit others.
Some young altruists, for instance, take low paying low paying service jobs under the guise of service to others.
Thus instead of learning a valuable skill or trade -- and bringing in a family supporting wage -- the young altruist claims they are paid by the satisfaction of doing something nice for someone else.
The confusion here, however, is the assumption that highly paid work doesn’t serve others.
It does.
Continuously making good money means that people are so satisfied with your work that they’re willing to give you money.
That isn’t the case in low paying jobs.
In fact in most cases there’s no way to know who is satisfied by your work in a low paying public service job. For while people may sing your praises, if they’re unwilling to part with anything of value for your efforts then how can it be presumed that your work is truly valued?
You can’t.
So while altruism may be the opiate of the hopeful masses, financial success is the stimulant of a sturdier virtue -- the pride of real, hand delivered, progress.
Zigmund Reichenbach has an M.A. in Philosophy from West Chester University and works as an advocate for less government by day. You can help him combat bad ideas in politics and philosophy by donating to the production his work at https://ko-fi.com/zigmundreichenbach .
Follow him on X at @zreichenbach1