Self Interest Quotes - Page 9

• Freedom is indivisible, and either we are working for freedom or you are working for the sake of your self-interests and I am working for mine.

  June Jordan

  Freedom, Self, Sake

  June Jordan (2009). “Some of Us Did Not Die: New and Selected Essays”, p.92, Basic Books

  9 Copy quote

  Show source

• Human service is the highest form of self-interest for the person who serves.

  Elbert Hubbard

  Self, Justice, Diversity

  Elbert Hubbard (2005). “Loyalty in Business: One and Twenty Other Good Things”, p.53, Cosimo, Inc.

  10 Copy quote

  Show source

• In view of the importance of philanthropy in our society, it is surprising that so little attention has been given to it by economic or social theorists. In economic theory, especially, the subject is almost completely ignored. This is not, I think, because economists regard mankind as basically selfish or even because economic man is supposed to act only in his self-interest; it is rather because economics has essentially grown up around the phenomenon of exchange and its theoretical structure rests heavily on this process.

  Kenneth E. Boulding

  Selfish, Men, Thinking

  "Notes on a Theory of Philanthropy". "Philanthropy and Public Policy", edited by Frank G. Dickinson, 1962.

  6 Copy quote

  Show source

• [University students] hated the hypocrisy of adult society, the rigidity of its political institutions, the impersonality of its bureaucracies. They sought to create a society that places human values before materialistic ones, that has a little less head and a little more heart, that is dominated by self-interest and loves its neighbor more. And they were persuaded that group protest of a militant nature would advance those goals.

  Muriel Beadle

  Heart, University Students, Self

  4 Copy quote

• Virtues lose themselves in self-interest, as rivers in the sea.

  Francois de La Rochefoucauld

  Sea, Rivers, Self

  4 Copy quote

• The genius of capitalism lies in its ability to make self-interest serve the wider interest. The potential of a big financial return for innovation unleashes a broad set of talented people in pursuit of many different discoveries. This system, driven by self-interest, is responsible for the incredible innovations that have improved so many lives.

  Bill Gates

  Business, Lying, Discovery

  "A New Approach to Capitalism in the 21st Century". Bill Gates' speech at World Economic Forum 2008 in Davos, Switzerland, news.microsoft.com. January 24, 2008.

  8 Copy quote

  Show source

• Children like their mothers especially to be standing still and watching them, even if they are sleeping. At least that's how I felt. There's nothing wrong with the self-interest of children; it's just the way they are.

  Jamaica Kincaid

  Inspiring, Mothers Day, Children

  4 Copy quote

• To set aside one’s prejudices, one’s present needs, and one’s own self interest in making a decision as a director for a company is an intellectual exercise that takes constant practice. In short, intellectual honesty is a journey and not a destination.

  Mervyn King

  Honesty, Exercise, Journey

  10 Copy quote

• I would define morality as enlightened self-interest...That old Platonic ideal that there are certain pure moral forms just isn't where we are.

  Andrew Young

  Self, Morality, Enlightened

  4 Copy quote

• Morality, after all, has nothing to do with selflessness. On the contrary, self-interest is precisely the basis of the categorical imperative.

  Frans de Waal

  Self, Morality, Categorical Imperative

  4 Copy quote

• The Holy Grail of universal coverage in the United States may remain out of reach unless, through rational collective action overriding some individual self-interest, we can reduce per capita costs.

  Donald Berwick

  Self, Holy Grail, United States

  "The Triple Aim: Care, Health, And Cost" by Donald Berwick, Thomas W. Nolan and John Whittington in "Health Affairs", Volume 27, No. 3 (pp. 759-769), May/June 2008.

  13 Copy quote

  Show source

• The very essence of capitalism is under threat as business is now seen as a personal wealth accumulator. We have to bring this world back to sanity and put the greater good ahead of self-interest. We need to fight very hard to create an environment out there that is more long term focussed and move away from short termism.

  Paul Polman

  Moving, Fighting, Self

  "Rio+20: Unilever CEO on the need to battle on to save the world" by Jo Confino, www.theguardian.com. June 21, 2012.

  53 Copy quote

  Show source

• Self-interest is an ineffable feeling which shall follow us into God's very presence since they say there is a hierarchy even among the Holy Saints.

  Honore de Balzac

  Self, Feelings, Saint

  4 Copy quote

• The dynamo of our economic system is self-interest which may range from mere petty greed to admirable types of self-expression.

  Felix Frankfurter

  Self, Expression, Greed

  10 Copy quote

• Generosity is also an act of freedom, a casting off of the constraints of prudence and self-interest.

  Marilynne Robinson

  Casting Off, Self, Generosity

  "What A Shy Waitress Taught Me About Generosity" by Marilynne Robinson, www.huffingtonpost.com. November 2, 2013.

  9 Copy quote

  Show source

• What proposition is there respecting human nature which is absolutely and universally true? We know of only one,--and that is not only true, but identical,--that men always act from self-interest.

  Thomas B. Macaulay

  Men, Self, Humanity

  8 Copy quote

• My main life lesson from investing: self-interest is the most powerful force on earth, and can get people to embrace and defend almost anything.

  Jesse Lauriston Livermore

  Powerful, Life Lesson, Self

  27 Copy quote

• Which is more subversive-and corrosive-to believe in altruism or to see it simply as a cloak of self interest? Even if altruism did not exist, it would be necessary to believe in it. Pessimists in power are prone to despotism.

  Frank Prochaska

  Believe, Self, Volunteer

  4 Copy quote

• The philanthropic tradition is older than democracy, older than Christianity, and older than higher education. It gives form and purpose to personal and social life that cannot be provided by the self-interest of economic enterprise or required by the mandate of political institutions.

  Robert L. Payton

  Self, Giving, Political

  9 Copy quote

• Republics demanded virtue. Monarchies could rely on coercion and "dazzling splendor" to suppress self-interest or factions; republics relied on the goodness of the people to put aside private interest for public good. The imperatives of virtue attached all sorts of desiderata to the republican citizen: simplicity, frugality, sobriety, simple manners, Christian benevolence, duty to the polity. Republics called on other virtues--spiritedness, courage--to protect the polity from external threats. Tyrants kept standing armies; republics relied on free yeomen, defending their own land.

  James Monroe

  Christian, Army, Simple

  37 Copy quote

• We do not like to praise, and seldom praise anyone without self-interest.

  Francois de La Rochefoucauld

  Self, Praise, Interest

  4 Copy quote

• Whatever pretended causes we may blame our afflictions upon, it is often nothing but self-interest and vanity that produce them.

  Francois de La Rochefoucauld

  Self, Vanity, Affliction

  4 Copy quote

• Scientists have long known that Darwinism is false. They have adhered to the myth out of self-interest and a zealous desire to put down God.

  Phillip E. Johnson

  Self, Long, Desire

  "Berkeley Law Professor Finds Darwin Wanting: Author Calls Evolution 'Imaginative Story'". Interview with Claire Cooper, Sacramento Bee, 3, p. B5, June 3, 1991.

  24 Copy quote

  Show source

• As I see it, there are two great forces of human nature: self-interest, and caring for others. Capitalism harnesses self-interest in a helpful and sustainable way, but only on behalf of those who can pay. Government aid and philanthropy channel our caring for those who can't pay. But to provide rapid improvement for the poor we need a system that draws in innovators and businesses in a far better way than we do today.

  Bill Gates

  Business, Caring, Two

  "A New Approach to Capitalism in the 21st Century". Bill Gates' speech at World Economic Forum 2008 in Davos, Switzerland, news.microsoft.com. January 24, 2008.

  10 Copy quote

  Show source

• Censorship is the commonest social blasphemy because it is mostly concealed, built into us by indolence, self-interest and cowardice.

  John Osborne

  Fear, Self, Censorship

  7 Copy quote