Traditional Conservative Are Often Mistaken

Conservatives are usually correct in their economic and political outlooks (unless they are rhinos), but their psychological, ethical and religious characterization of human nature are often askew.

Some of them accept that humans are basically evil, and that is a most useful starting point, but it is an incomplete delineation of human nature.

Hewitt is typical of what I refer to as traditional, Christian, Jewish and even secular conservatives. Some of them believe in human depravity. They may believe in innate moral neutrality (equally good and evil from birth), or a few may believe humans are basically good.

They follow Hume in depicting each human with a biological, moral capacity, an inborn moral sense that makes them sympathetic with others hurts and needs, growing out of their introspective awareness of what hurts them, and recognition of what any person, including those outside the subjective self, need to be happy, complete, loved and healthy.

When this natural proclivity to sympathize with the needs of other members of the community or in society at large is habituated as a moral standard internalized in the individual's conscience, this selfless or altruistic compassion for the needs of others becomes a way of life, at least as an ideal to strive for each day, in one's private life.

When the altruistic training does not take hold, or is rejected due to genetic asocial nature of the rejector, or he repudiates concern for the needs of others of his own free will, this man is evil according to the traditional, conservative point of view. He is selfish, and justifies doing whatever is necessary to win or gain his end, despite how the needs and rights of the other members of the community are denied or trampled.

As an egoist, I argue that virtue and goodness can only be found and known through enlightened self-interest, enlightened self-love. Only the self-interested individuator is capable of love: love of God first, love of self second, and love of others after that.

The altruist is a a selfish creature. Selflessness makes individuals non-producers, non-exceptional, narcissistic and mean-spirited. When the self is small, stunted, crimped and failed, the self-loathing grows inside like a festering boil. All manners of wickedness grow out of the sinners' blemished relationship with the self while disguising all as normal and happy hiding in group-settlements.

Ayn Rand had it right. The virtue is to be had and held in selfishness, or enlightened self-interest. Vice and sin are embraced and earned by sad, miserable selflessness inside the collective huddle.