Lost wisdom
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Libertarians, no matter how they may conduct themselves in private, are subjected to the blanket accusation of selfishness by their political opponents. Now-conventional thinking contrasts them unfavourably with left-liberals who "care" so very noisily when there is anyone about to take note. On this subject, in De Profundis, Oscar Wilde offered this interesting observation:-
Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes them to live. And unselfishness is letting other people's lives alone, not interfering with them. Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type. Unselfishness recognises infinite variety of type as a delightful thing, accepts it, acquiesces in it, enjoys it. It is not selfish to think for oneself. A man who does not think for himself does not think at all. It is grossly selfish to require of one's neighbour that he should think in the same way, and hold the same opinions. Why should he?
Quite. Nominations in the comments section please for the most selfish person in Britain judged by this wise standard*.
*Not Harriet Harman, please. There is nothing more tedious than the obvious.
A lot of the good ones have been taken already but surely George Monbiot and James Lovelock deserve nominations.
Posted by: Angry Exile | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 11:19 PM
...and of course he had the excuse of not having witnessed a century of poverty, famine and murder brought about by attempts to implement such a superficially-appealing scheme. Modern socialists have no such excuse.
Posted by: Tom | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 09:11 PM
You may be right about Wilde's early years. Although having re read 'De Profundis' recently, I'd be inclined to posit that prison brought a sea change within him.
As for him arguing for the abolition of private property? I'd be inclined to observe that no-one is correct about everything all the time.
Posted by: Bill Sticker | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 08:44 PM
Preaching to the converted here, Tom.
Posted by: jameshigham | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 07:34 PM
Thanks for the pointer, Bill.
From what I can gather, Wilde was inclined towards anarchism, but not the capitalist sort.
With the abolition of private property, then, we shall have true, beautiful, healthy Individualism
Still, the bit that Tom quoted is spot on.
Posted by: Suboptimal Planet | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 07:25 PM
Er.. I think you'll find the quotation in question is from Wilde's Fortnightly review piece 'the soul of man under socialism', not De Profundis. See this web site. Still very apposite. Good choice and very telling.
Posted by: Bill Sticker | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 06:36 PM
Now that the wretched Liam Donaldson is soiling pastures new, Professor Sir Ian Poxy Gilmore fits the description to a tee.
Oh.... and that dreadful woman from BRAKE. Mary Williams who turned a bereavement (caused by a poorly maintained set of brakes) into a career hectoring motorist.
Posted by: Diogenes | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 03:06 PM
"much"!!
Posted by: Pogo | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 02:30 PM
"much"!!!
Posted by: Pogo | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 02:29 PM
Excluding the denizens of the House of Commons on the grounds that it's too muck like shooting fish in a barrel, I nominate Don Shenker of "Alcohol Concern" with Deborah Arnott from "ASH" "coming up on the rails".
Posted by: Pogo | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 02:28 PM
Polly.
Posted by: Andrew Duffin | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 12:55 PM
Chris Huhne, Mindless and selfish, fits both categories perfectly.
Posted by: Peter Whale | Thursday, February 24, 2011 at 10:53 AM