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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 68

Section XI. Of Selfishness and Dishonesty

Section XI. Of Selfishness and Dishonesty.

86. Q. What selfishness?

A. Selfishness is the exclusive or [unclear: under] regard of a person to his own feelings, [unclear: in] forests and happiness, without consideration for others.

87. Q. What are its chief forms?

A. Selfishness may take various form as covetousness, avarice, love of pleasum indolence, or the gratification of the appetites but its essence is always the same.

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88. Q. "What is the essence of selfishness?

A. Contempt for or neglect of the interests or rights of others.

89. Q. But is not the first duty of each to himself?

A. Only in so far as the fair and just rights of others to equal privileges and benefits with ourselves are recognised.

90. Q. How may this he proved?

A. Neglect to recognise the claims, rights and interests of others has been the foundation of every abuse and wrong the world has seen, hut especially of slavery.

91. Q What follows from this?

A. It follows that in considering the welfare and benefit of others we aim at the highest benefit of the State, and therefore of the individuals who together constitute the State.

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92. Q. Is there any other proof?

A. Those States where the interests of classes and individuals have obtained undue power, to the exclusion of the common good, have invariably crumbled to the dust in consequence.

93. Q And what further?

A. The greatest and noblest men and "women the world has seen have been those who have sunk self-interest in the desire to promote the good of their fellows.

94. Q. now may these considerations be applied to every day life?

A. It is our duty in ail the affairs of life, both business and pleasure, to see that we do not become so absorbed in our own aims and wishes as to lose sight of the needs, feelings and rights of others.

95. Q. Name one of the commonest results of selfishness.

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A. Where selfishness rules the mind it frequently leads to actual dishonesty.

96. Q. What is honesty?

A. Honesty is that dealing with others which is just, fair, and truthful.

97. Q. What docs dishonesty spring from?

A. A selfish desire to secure that which by right belongs to others.

98. Q. How is it shown?

A. Dishonesty may be shown by deceiving others, either by falsehood or suppressing the truth, or by overreaching them on account of their necessity or ignorance.

99. Q. Is honesty a universal duty?

A. Honesty is undoubtedly a duty which applies to all persons, times and circumstances.

100. Q. State the reasons.

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A. Because fair dealing between man and man is the foundation of law and order, and the bond of society.

101. Q. Is there any other reason?

A. Because dishonest conduct deprives others of their rights, and of that which belongs to them.

102. Q. What further reason can be urged against dishonesty?

A. Because securing for ourselves, either by cheating, falsehood or any form of deceit, that which belongs to others, is dishonourable, unmanly and base.

103. Q. Why is dishonest conduct base and unmanly?

A. Because such means of acquiring benefits are not according to the principles of justice, as they do wrong to the rights of others.

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104. Q. What are the principal evils of selfishness?

A. Selfishness destroys the kindlier feelings of our nature; it contracts the affections, narrows the mind, and prevents the enjoyment of the true pleasures which spring from benevolence and generosity.

105. Q. How docs selfishness do this?

A. By fixing the mind and affections on self, thus driving out consideration for others.

106. Q. What are the further results?

A. Selfishness, like every other craving of the mind, when given way to increases it:; power and influence, until it becomes a habit and a passion.

107. Q. What is the effect of this?

A. The mind thus loses its healthful balance, and becomes unduly sensible to adversity or disappointment.

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108. Q. But are not dishonest men often successful?

A. They may he successful so far as acquiring wealth or attaining any object desired, but such is not true success.

109. Q. For what reason?

A. Because in order to attain success by dishonesty or deceit they sacrifice the nobler qualities of the mind, and throw away that self-respect and sense of manliness which constitute the nobility of our nature.

110. Q. What follows from this?

A. It therefore follows that success in life is to be measured, not only by the end attained, but also by the means employed to attain success.

111. Q. How may this be differently expressed?

A. To express the same truth in another way, it may be said that we should aim after page 33 that true success in life which can only be secured by the strictest honesty and fidelity in small things as well as in large.

112. Q. Do men become dishonest all at once?

A. All wrongdoing begins in trivial acts.

113. Q. What follows?

A. As the mind becomes accustomed to evil it goes further and further, until acts are committed from which it would at one time have turned with dread and horror.

114. Q. What should we learn from this?

A. We should learn to preserve a scrupulous integrity in all matters, however small, and avoid taking that first step in a wrong course which so often ends in dishonesty and crime.

115. Q. How may this be done?

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A. By acting from principle, and following out what we have already learned namely, the desirability of reflecting on our actions and their effect on ourselves and on others.

116. Q. Is there anything further?

A. We should avoid giving any promise or making any engagement that we do not intend to perform, or which we may not be able to carry out.

117. Q. But may not circumstances aris to prevent our keeping promises or engagements?

A. They may, undoubtedly; but if they can be foreseen it is our duty to state [unclear: chem].

118. Q. For what reason?

A. Because mental reservations are [unclear: of] the essence of dishonesty, whilst candour and uprightness are marks of honesty and straightforwardness.

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119. Q. How may our whole duty to others he summed up?

A. By the Golden Rule—Do unto others as ye would that they should do unto you.

120. Q. What would result from this?

A. If this rule of life were followed by all, selfishness and dishonesty would disappear.

121. Q. Why so?

A. Because we should cease to act according to the selfish promptings of our nature, and would judge our actions by the standard which we would wish others to adopt in their conduct towards us.