Comments on: Was Adam Smith selfish?

By: 14262704

14262704 — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 20:11:27 +0000

I agree with all the content in this piece but i would just like to add to it by saying that when one purchases a shirt at one is not only helping yourself but also financially benefiting the business and the public community as a whole as i am sure they would prefer to see you walking around with a shirt on rather than topless… Yes, selfishness has lead to many bad things but it selfish ambition has also lead to many amazing things.

By: 14262704

14262704 — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 18:35:46 +0000

I completely agree with Smith’s thinking. Just to provide another extreme example; when you buy yourself a new shirt it is beneficial not only to you but financially beneficial to the shop you purchase it from and other people would most likely not be against seeing you wear a new shirt out in public instead of you walking around shirtless all day… So I believe Smith has a point and just to add to that many many bad things have come from humans being selfish but many great things have also come from selfish ambition.

By: Lo-Ruchama Oosthuyse

Lo-Ruchama Oosthuyse — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 16:50:02 +0000

To be honest, before i came across this article I did not really know who Adam Smith was or what he had achieved, so I read up on him. Only to find out what a brilliant mind he had and just how much he contributed to society today. In response I fully agree with this article and what it says about self-interest vs selfishness. And sadly the more I look around me the more i see examples of selfishness. In every day examples and when looking at some countries as a whole. I believe that the actions of one person cannot not have an effect on others, and so if a whole government (as i have so often seen in the country where I live) acts purely for its own materialistic benefit it has a drastic effect of everyone in the country, and whats worse is those acting upon their need for more are not bothered by those who suffer because of their actions.Although I must say I am not totally cynical and do also believe that there are many people, like Adam Smith, who believe in and act on self-interest. I think everyone should take a page from Adam Smith and try to rethink on whether their actions are for greed, or good.