1222. Self-Interest or Selfishness???

I was watching a discussion in one of the regional channels on “Svartha” (Self-Interest). A group of youngsters were talking against Self-Interest while a few felt Self-Interest is the way to self-actualization. In the heat of discussion  one of the youngster talking for Self-Interest was saying, “Every action we perform is encrust in Self-Interest. Even in charity there is Self-Interest of emancipation. A devotee praying to God in the place of worship also wants grace and even that amounts to Self-Interest. A employee working in a corporate company toils to see that he is escalated to higher position, that is Self-Interest.”

When I heard the Youngman’s argumentation astonishingly for a few minutes I too was inclined to think what he is saying was true. I started to think that Self-Interest could be the real motivator to get one to wellbeing. To be happy one has to be interested in the self. As the young man had said there is Self-Interest in every act we perform. Then after a few seconds I thought if Svartha was a requirement then why did our elders insist we do not develop Svarthabuddhi???

A few days back while walking on the beach bare foot a thorn stuck to my foot. I suppose it was a dry bramble floated back to the shore and its tip had pieced in my sole. I had to remove it so that I can walk comfortably. Thought it was not causing me pain there was a discomfort which made me look for something sharp to dig out the thorn. Fortunately I happened to see the thorny twig and I pulled a thorn from the twig and using it I was able to remove the sharp spike out of my foot. I felt relieved of the discomfort in my foot.

To get the thorn out of my foot I had amazingly used another thorn. And as soon as the thorn in the foot was removed I threw back the thorn I had used in the operation. So there was a thorn which caused discomfort and another thorn that relieved me of the discomfort. 

Just like how the young man in the debate had felt that Self-Interest is the same in mundane and spiritual sense. The thorn is the same but it is the usage which makes all the difference. Self-Interest can be a discipline and also can work as detractor. Self-Interest which started as discipline transform into Selfishness and act as detractor,  individual unaware of it.

Self-interest carries within it the seeds of its own destruction. It drives to achieve a goal, but once it reach a certain level it no longer function as a discipline. When goals are within reach, Self-Interest is tempered by the need of rising the comfort level and it is here that it becomes a detractor.

When any action performed has a tinge of altruistic attitude then there is no question of Self-Interest as the Sanskrit verse say, “Paropakaram Idam Shareeram” (This body is to serve others).