The Virtue Of Selfishness

I agree with Ayn Rand more than I do not, but I dislike intensely her conflating selfishness with virtue. I prefer to associate goodness or virtue with the adjective positively self-centered or enlightened self-interest. Selfishness is really a vice most employed by joiners, herd followers and altruists. Egoists are largely unselfish towards themselves and others. Let me quote Rand from her book, Page 1, "The Virtue of Selfishness": "The title of this book may invoke the kind of question that I hear once in a while: 'Why do you use the word 'selfishness' to denote virtuous qualities of character, when that word antagonizes so many people to whom it does mean the things you mean?' I do not believe that Rand is conflating selfishness with virtue, or at least not a cynical, shabby or short-sighted caliber of selfishness. She really, I think and hope, advocates enlightened self-interest.