A Brief Guide to the Basics of Morality

There are two basic aspects to morality. The first demand is to act in ways that are not harmful to yourself. Violations of this kind are what one can call vices. The second aspect is to respect the rights of others, and those are what I call crimes.

Now Adam Smith and many classical liberals phrased this as to do no harm to others but that is a very bad way of saying it. For instance refusing to give money to Musk harms him in a tiny way but it does not violate his rights. Preachers demand you listen to their sermons and feel aggrieved if you don’t but you are not violating their rights regardless of how offended they get. In fact, many of the worst bigots demand you give them an audience and insist your refusal is “cancel culture” or some other pejorative. Boycotting a business harms them as does urging others to do so, but it doesn’t violate their rights. They have no claim to your patronage.

Now the first category of morality falls under Ayn Rand’s ethics of self-interest. She didn’t like saying rational self-interest as actual self-interest is by definition rational. But not everything done according to one’s own definition of self-interest is actually beneficial. A lot of people are deluded into thinking gambling is in their self-interest even as they leave the casino with empty pockets.

One’s self interest is wider than many think it is. Treating others well is also in your own self interest. Being kind is in your own self interest as it means others are more likely to be kind to you.

Sharon Presley once put it this way: “What kind of society do you want to live in—one where people are generous and nice to each other as a matter of course, or one where only the ‘chosen few’ are regarded as worthy of any attention or concern? One where people are benevolent or one where anyone who doesn’t agree with you is regarded as an ‘outsider’ not worthy of talking to, let alone worthy of your benevolence? Where people are nice, or mean? Kind or arrogant?”

I have benefitted over the years from both the kindness and generosity of others and I try to return the same. One’s rational self interest does not—AND CAN NOT—mean steamrolling over others or spewing hate. You will get both in return.

Now the malignant Narcissist does precisely that because they demand attention in return and that includes others hating them. They would rather be hated than ignored. The best thing to do with them is ignore them to the degree possible and avoid then in your own life.

Of course, when they hold political power the harm they will do to people is immense and they must be resisted in every way possible.

So while do not commit crimes means do not violate the rights of others, the self-interest aspect to morality means more than that. It does mean making choices that benefit you but it also means in respecting others, treating them with all deserved respect and being kind to the degree possible.