One of the most important things that parents teach their children is
the virtue of not being self-centered. In fact, most people tend to
think of egoism negatively as they emphasize the importance of a
selfless life. Yet, in some ways, egoism can be a positive thing.
It is little doubt that egoists always calculate their own benefits
first before making any decisions. But instead of being an acquired
habit or part of a depraved personality, being self-centered may have a
biological basis. According to social exchange theory in sociobiology,
it is natural for human nature to think more highly of themselves than
of others. When the capital of a particular behavior is bigger that its
reward, normally the behavior will not be adopted. In other words,
people who are egoistic will be unlikely to commit suicide out of
frustrated love. In the egoists』 point of view, life is much more
precious than a rash decision.
Besides saving lives, egoism may be useful in other situations. Because
the society we live in overemphasizes the importance of group
cooperation, our innate egoism has been depressed for a long time. We
are afraid of being called self-centered only because we have been
taught to be sociable since we were young. But there is nothing wrong
with considering our own advantages. For one thing, Egoism makes people
dare to fight for their own rights. Without egoism, people will easily
make lots of concessions and sacrifices, just as the obedient housewives
have done at the expense of their own well-being.
For a long time, people have been taught that egoism is a synonym for
possessiveness and selfishness. But in my point of view, egoism is one
way in which we can treat ourselves better and fight for our own
advantages. In this competitive world, being egoistic is just one way
to survive.