[MD] freedom is for the rich

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Ian]
This Selfish vs Selfless debate is a crude and unnecessary polarization. Much
better is something like "enlightened self-interest" based on a decent
framework or metaphysics of what reality is about .... something like, say the
MoQ ... recognising the interlinked reality of the levels and their dynamic
interactions?

[Arlo]
I've heard someone propose "self-full" as a contrasted word to "selfish".
Certainly, acting in a way that brings benefit to yourself is not always and
entirely bad. I took this afternoon off to catch up on some reading, very
"self-full" behavior. I think we cross into selfish when bringing benefit to
myself involves bringing harm to others. Selfless seems to involve doing
something to help others even though it brings harm (or potential harm) to me.
And of course, this is a continuum, and like you suggest is a contextual issue.

I'm still waiting to hear back from Micah on what words he'd propose to
distinguish "positive selfishness" from "negative selfishness". And, if
everything everyone does is "selfish", I wonder how he'd distinguish the
soldier from the AWOLer. Both are selfish, after all.