As a selfish prizefighter, I want to beat my opponent. If I was an altruist instead, I don’t think I’d be able to win one fight. Because I am in fact selfish, fighting an opponent who is an altruist would not do much for my self-esteem. Only in fighting better fighters than I am do I learn, not by fighting someone inferior. If a superior fighter does not do his best in a given match with me for some reason, I cannot objectively pretend to be better than him just because I won once. It benefits me to beat him when he’s at his best. I like to share my knowledge, so I teach others. It benefits me when someone learns a technique I teach them well, and puts their own take on it. Thus my student becomes my teacher, and I am that much better off for it. There may come a time when my student defeats me, and though I will probably be upset about getting old and slow, a part of me will be proud of him, and of myself.
Anyone I’ve met that’s worth their salt is generally not afraid of their own shadow, and don’t horde ideas or knowledge, afraid that someone will outdo them. Regardless someone always does. If in life you either sink or swim, merely floating is like compromising between life and death, and between the two, only death gains from life not vice-versa.
It’s a philosophy of life, so of course there will be people who disagree, or don’t really follow even if they do agree. But in terms of what kinds of people gravitate to each other, even if you disagree you’re probably more likely to gravitate to people who are good at what they do and are willing to teach you. Thus I have met people who are sufficiently selfish, but not necessarily objective or good at what they do, and a load of other permutations, but I’ve never met someone who’s exceptional at what they do who isn’t selfish. You don’t get good by not knowing what you want and not achieving it.
As a selfish prizefighter, I want to beat my opponent. If I was an altruist instead, I don’t think I’d be able to win one fight. Because I am in fact selfish, fighting an opponent who is an altruist would not do much for my self-esteem. Only in fighting better fighters than I am do I learn, not by fighting someone inferior. If a superior fighter does not do his best in a given match with me for some reason, I cannot objectively pretend to be better than him just because I won once. It benefits me to beat him when he’s at his best. I like to share my knowledge, so I teach others. It benefits me when someone learns a technique I teach them well, and puts their own take on it. Thus my student becomes my teacher, and I am that much better off for it. There may come a time when my student defeats me, and though I will probably be upset about getting old and slow, a part of me will be proud of him, and of myself.
Anyone I’ve met that’s worth their salt is generally not afraid of their own shadow, and don’t horde ideas or knowledge, afraid that someone will outdo them. Regardless someone always does. If in life you either sink or swim, merely floating is like compromising between life and death, and between the two, only death gains from life not vice-versa.
It’s a philosophy of life, so of course there will be people who disagree, or don’t really follow even if they do agree. But in terms of what kinds of people gravitate to each other, even if you disagree you’re probably more likely to gravitate to people who are good at what they do and are willing to teach you. Thus I have met people who are sufficiently selfish, but not necessarily objective or good at what they do, and a load of other permutations, but I’ve never met someone who’s exceptional at what they do who isn’t selfish. You don’t get good by not knowing what you want and not achieving it.