Interestingly, I just posted this on amnother thread. I agree with Mr. Tracy, also.

You only get what you want by giving others what they want.

An excellent observation to augment an excellent article. As the author, Dorothy Anne Seese, states, selfishness is unavoidable. We are only able to interact with the world through our "self", or our five senses whose signals our brains filter and interpret. Without us, or our self, the world doesn't exist - to us. To repeat, selfishness is inescapable.

In keeping with the author's premise we must remember that the leftist elite are the way they are because of their own selfishness. Their concern for you, and the masses, is not altruistic, it is selfish. That leads us to compare, as the author partially did, what are the goals so selfishly sought by the left (socialists, to be polite) and by the right (free enterprise advocates). The left wants control, period. They may even believe what they preach (doubtful) but even at that they must have control in order to achieve their ends. They do not want to compete in a world of free exchange, freedom of choice, and freedom of action because they don't think they can succeed. Therefore, they want to selfishly control the outcome of the race.

The primary moving force within our unavoidable selfishness is the desire to survive, both physically and emotionally. The instincts that drive that are hope and fear, the emotional triggers for the seeking of pleasure and the avoidance of pain. Leftists are fear driven. They fear failure so they don't want to compete, they want automatic control. They fear condemnation so they couch their fears in altruistic terms, pretending to be unselfish. This also helps them gain control by selling their deception to others who are fear motivated, giving them the mirage of a safe harbor. It is a false dream, an illusion. A naturally selfish person will not, on a continuing basis, give up his hard earned gains to someone who doesn't work hard nor gain. It is not in his self interest. (All of this assumes the abscence of religion) Therefore, in order to help the masses, for the 80-20 relationship will always prevail, the elite must force the achievers to work against their own self interest and share. Otherwise, it is not "fair" and it destroys the hopes and alligiance of the masses. In order to prevail the elite must control everything else the fearful will flee leaving them captain of an empty ship. That is when control gets really severe and walls go up to stop the flight.

With free enterprise as the guiding principle, a principle based on maximum freedom of choice, the achiever is seeking his own self interest, naturally, but must gain by it, other than the inner satisfaction of accomplishment, by doing something that fills the needs and desires of someone else, and the more the better. Freedom lovers feed off hope, ambitions, and goals, not fear. They love competition because that is the only way to truly gain self esteem and it hones their skills while fueling their energies. They overcome fear and dwell on hope and in the process they build a better life for everyone, even the fearful. They fulfill their desires by helping others achieve theirs. That is what you said, I think, and I agree.

I, too, zeroed in on these two arcticles today. I have been pondering allot these days on human nature and the mechanisms of its containment for a higher and more common good. Touche! Excellent post, more food for thought. Stay numb!