Fragments

February 5, 2008

Selflessness is an unnatural human trait. For some reason, people believe than being selfless (or altruism) is the ultimate ideal. Selflessness entails sacrifice on an individual’s part in order to help the maximum number of people, going as far as giving up one’s life or happiness. However, I agree with Ayn Rand when she says that a truly selfless person is the worst kind of person—in giving it all just to make other people’s lives better, the selfless person gives up his identity. And an identity is the only thing one ever truly owns in a lifetime.

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Having an identity is not automatic, neither is it involuntary. I think that it is a constant battle against forces trying to make an individual conform to the social norms.
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