The Importance Of Egoism

In this paper I will argue that people ought to be more motivated by egoistic reasons than altruistic reasons. I will prove this by analyzing Ayn Rand’s argument against altruism, the value of individuality, y, and z. Ayn Rand rejects altruism, which is the theory that idolizes self-sacrifice at the benefit of others. In her argument against altruism, Rand claims that it is the destroyer of creativity and individuality. If altruism destroys individuality, which it appears to, then this is a grave concern for mankind. Individuality is one of the most important qualities to protect, not only because of its intrinsic value to humans, but also for the sake of progress. Individuality is intrinsically important because there is something deeply and

Notable people in history, like Socrates and Elon Musk, are known for the great strides of progress they made for mankind, despite facing intense resistance from the majority. These changes do not come from prioritizing others over self, they come from fufilling one’s own wants and needs. Bold innovators who dare to go against the tide are the bringers of significant contributions.
Conformity is one of the biggest dangers to stifling mankind and societal progress. According to Rand, “the great creators - the thinkers, the artists, the scientists, the inventors - stood alone against the men of their time… every new thought was opposed” (Rand xx). This is right because in order to continue driving society and humanity forward, people need to be confident in their own ideas and feel comfortable straying from the majority. When people are more comfortable sharing a mindset with the masses than having a unique view, there is little variety in thoughts and ideas. Without variety, there can be no progress. Altruism, being the theory of sacrifice in order to help others, naturally leads to less competition and more collaboration amongst people. This is problematic because competition is what drives innovation and

One might argue that this premise is false, and that choosing to do the right thing just because it makes you happy. Furthermore, one can question if there is a way to achieve the same happiness that requires less sacrifice. You are choosing to do it because it is the right thing to do, and as a bonus it makes you happy. There are plenty of sources from which you can derive happiness. If you choose to invest your time in finding your happiness through serving/helping others, that is not a sign of being fundamentally motivated by