Most of us would agree—in principle, but usually not in practice—that “selfish” is wrong. I often write about (my own struggles in) trying to move from self-centered to other-centered. But, does this imply that we are to become selfless? I have been giving this much thought, and I would argue no.
I have been thinking about liberty lately. It is often—as we see so much presently in our society—that it is selfishness that demands liberty (i.e., self-liberty). Rarely does one completely deny self for others—and, if so, what would that really look like? Politically, we see this as a society that naively yields themselves to a powerful elite—and it never ends well.
Liberty cannot survive without self. “Self”, however, does not mean “self-centered”. To the contrary. “Self” in the context of a free society is other-centered. Liberty does not deny self. It empowers self. It affords everyone the opportunity to “be your best today; be better tomorrow”. It emphasizes personal growth (self-growth) for the welfare of all.
A truly free society benefits from the expression of self. There is no growth—economically, technologically, artistically, etc.—without self-expression. One only look to Germany during the years that it was divided into East and West for an example.
Increasingly, our “free” society is divided—“us” v. “them”—as each demands his/her freedom at the expense of others. We have convinced ourselves that we are “free”, but increasingly we yield more of ourselves to government, corporations, and the like—an elite who have convinced us that that have our best interests in mind. Ultimately, these few control the Commons and all-the-while convincing us that someone else is trying to take our share. We become convinced of our own selflessness and the other’s selfishness, while losing more and more of our self. This is not freedom. This is not liberty.
Now is the time to reclaim our liberty. It is not the time to be selfish. It is not the time to be selfless. It is the time to fully express one’s self and one’s Purpose. It is the time to be truly other-centered by being oneself for others.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!