Self-Interest in America today

**The_Bear** · 6th November 2009 07:16 AM

What does it mean to be self-interested in America today?

**Morgan** · 6th November 2009 08:29 AM

[quote name='The_Bear' date='06 November 2009 - 08:16 AM' timestamp='1257516965' post='53596']

What does it mean to be self-interested in America today?

[/quote]

To be a consumer rather than a citizen. A consumer does exactly that, consumes without a thought and contributes no inherent value to society. A citizen is the opposite.

**Dr.Knuckles** · 6th November 2009 11:17 AM

Well that's what I would have thought. But I thought the prevailing wisdom in America was that self-interest is freedom, and the slightest devience from acting in your own individual self interest at the expense of all those aroudn you is a disgusting surrender to the forces of socialism.

Which is odd because from the 50's through the 60's anybody acting in any way in their own self interest was labelled a dangerous Communist and their lives and business were ruined.

1959 - I'm not letting this black man marry this white woman and I don't care what those dirty commies say about it.

1979 - We're going to look after our vets, the government has an obligation to care for them and anyone who disagrees is a commie socialist

1999 - I'm not going to let the government waste money on some burned out Vet. Fuck them, they want health care for their imaginary illnesses they can buy it like everyone else. I don't care what those commie socialists say about it.

2009 - DId you hear about that Commie Socialist judge that wont marry the blakc man and white white woman, what a commie liberal socialist.

Sorry - I got off track there.

**Vortex** · 6th November 2009 11:20 AM

[quote name='Morgan' date='06 November 2009 - 09:29 AM' timestamp='1257521376' post='53648']

To be a consumer rather than a citizen. A consumer does exactly that, consumes without a thought and contributes no inherent value to society. A citizen is the opposite.

[/quote]

I agree