For this reason if a man put in the
same place his interest, sanctity, goodness, and country, and parents, and
friends, all these are secured: but if he puts in one place his interest, in
another his friends, and his country and his kinsmen and justice itself, all
these give way being borne down by the weight of interest.
For where the ‘I’ and the ‘Mine’ are placed,
to that place of necessity the animal inclines: if in the flesh, there is the
ruling power: if in the will, it is there: and if it is in externals, it is
there.
If then I am there where my will is,
then only shall I be a friend such as I ought to be, and son, and father; for
this will he my interest, to maintain the character of fidelity, of modesty, of
patience, of abstinence, of active cooperation, of observing my relations.
But if I put myself in one place, and
honesty in another, then the doctrine of Epicurus becomes strong, which asserts
either that there is no honesty or it is that which opinion holds to be honest.
—Epictetus,
Discourses 2.22, tr Long
Self-interest
can easily be misunderstood. We have already seen Epictetus say that it is
natural for human beings, as it is for all living things, to desire what is
good for themselves. Now only a certain type of person will immediately assume
that what is good for himself is at odds with what is good for others, but
self-interest is not the same thing as selfishness.
The
Stoic looks at human nature, and sees that we are creatures of mind and will,
which means that the perfection of that nature is to know what is true and to
love what is good. We are ordered toward the purpose of living and acting in
accordance with wisdom and virtue.
To act
according to wisdom and virtue is to see that one’s own good is in harmony with
the good of others, and the good of all of the order of Nature. My own good is
not in conflict with the good of any of other thing, but rather is a very part
of the good of the whole of each and every thing.
It is a
false dichotomy, therefore, to believe that my good and the good of another are
ever in opposition. I help myself to live well precisely by helping others to
live well. This is why Epictetus says that self-interest combines together
sanctity, goodness, country, parents, and friends. It is only when I start
separating one of these from the other that self-interest becomes selfishness.
Where
will I place what defines me? Where I
place my very identity will determine what I consider to rule above all else in
my life. Will I place it in the body? Then I will make pleasure and
gratification my goal. Will I place it in externals? Then I will make wealth
and reputation my goal.
In
either of those cases, I will make all other things relative to those goals. I
will, like Epicurus, make right and wrong relative to my pleasure, or I will,
like Thrasymachus, make right and wrong relative to my worldly power. Down this
path lies the struggle between self and others, and either one will make true
friendship impossible.
But if
place my very identity in the goodness of my own will, then the good of all
things, combined and united together as a whole, will be my goal. I can
practice faithfulness, modesty, self-control, cooperation with others, and good
relations. Now I can start to be a true friend.
Written on 2/2002
Image: Hermann Kern, "Good Friends" (1904)
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