Selfism

Selfism refers to any philosophy, theory, doctrine, or tendency that upholds explicitly selfish
principles as being desirable. It is usually used pejoratively.

Contents

1 Definition
2 Origins of selfist thought
3 See also
4 References

Definition
The term "selfism" was used by Paul Vitz in his book Psychology as Religion: The Cult of SelfWorship. Vitz deconstructs the selfist movement(s) and tries to uphold God-centered altruism,
and claims that all of modern-day liberalism and leftism are essentially selfist at their core. He
lays the blame predominately at the feet of Erik Erikson, Erich Fromm, and other prominent
psychologists of the third quarter of the 20th century (ca. 1950-1975 CE).
Explicit selfishness as a desirable end and moral good had diverse manifestations during that
period, for example, in the writings of David Seabury, Ayn Rand, and even among some of
Rand's near-opposites, such as Erikson and Fromm. Rand called her philosophy Objectivism.
Later popularizers of similar positions include Nathaniel Branden, Paul Lepanto, Robert Ringer,
Harry Browne, and David Kelley, among others. None of these named the system they espoused
"selfism" or characterized it as "selfist", although both Seabury and Rand included the word
"selfishness" in the titles of books presenting their views. Many of these figures were procapitalist secularists ("atheist capitalists"), but Seabury was a Christian, while Erickson and
Fromm were prominent leftists.
Anton LaVey, founder of the Church of Satan and author of The Satanic Bible, acknowledges
Ayn Rand and Objectivism as a source of inspiration for LaVeyan Satanism. This form of
Satanism holds the self above all else in similar fashion to Objectivism. Despite some
similarities, they remain separate entities, as there are clear differences between the two
concepts.[1]

Origins of selfist thought

Some early examples of "selfist" thinking are the egoistic philosophies of Yangism in ancient
China and of Cyrenaic hedonism in ancient Greece. Yangists followed the teachings of Yang
Zhu and might have been influenced by Taoism. Cyrenaics, founded by Aristippus of Cyrene,
were skeptics and materialists (but perhaps nominally Greek pagans). Thomas Hobbes, who
could also be viewed as selfist, was a materialist but also advocated loyalty to a strong
government and state church. Joseph Butler, whose philosophy is unmistakably selfist, was
generally regarded as an orthodox Christian and was canonized an Anglican saint. The views of
Friedrich Nietzsche and Max Stirner provide a more proximate link to the modern selfists.

See also

Altruism, "otherism", the opposite of egoism

Cyrenaicism
Individualism
Egoism (disambiguation)
Ethical egoism
Rational egoism
Psychological egoism
Objectivism
Individualist anarchism
Egoist anarchism
Philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche
Philosophy of Max Stirner
Egotism
LaVeyan Satanism
Hedonism
Christian hedonism
Humanism
Secular humanism
Human Potential Movement
Leftism
Liberalism
New Age spirituality
Self
Selfishness
Suitheism
Thelema
Yangism

References
1.
1. "Satanism and Objectivism". Hell's Kitchen Productions. 27 Dec 2014. Archived from
the original on 10 Oct 2014. Retrieved 27 Dec 2014. |first1= missing |last1= in
Authors list (help)

The Virtue of Selfishness, Ayn Rand, ISBN 0451163931,

David Seabury. The Art of Selfishness (1990, 1971).
Paul Vitz. Psychology as Religion: The Cult of Self-worship (2nd ed., Eerdmans, 1994,
original ed., 1977) (W.B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, MI)