Reputation

 

I as an egoist have long believed that conscience and pride are synonymous. A moral person of veridical self-esteem loves goodness and loving, so he could not live with a self that does not come close to living up to his high personal ethical standards. He behaves because he must, because he cannot live with himself if he does not, and he is unable to deceive himself, almost all the time, and not for very long about anything fault or sin, especially a cardinal vice, or a venial vice that he serially commits.

 

He loves himself too much to tolerate poor behaving, and hurting anyone, God, himself or others. He cannot sin a lot and still maintain his good name, his sterling reputation, his image of himself—more than it is his communal moral standing—he is a moral person, not because he could not be a immoral person, but because he could not stand himself if he does not toe the line most of the time.