Many believe that the interaction of totally self-interested individuals leads to a self regulating society in which each individual retains the maximum potential. In Western societies, this has led to a generation of adults who have largely abandoned ethical limits in favor individual advancement leaving those less able to compete to fall by the wayside.


The shortsightedness of this solution is attributable to its misapplication, Mark. Ethical thought -- the highest use of rationality in addressing the situation -- works best when it is self generated, from a basis of insight and individual vision. And the abandonment of ethical choice is short-sighted because, like it or not, what goes around does indeed come around. The use of external agents, like moral codes from organized churches, is just a manipulative symbolism intended to substitute for individual rationality. It works for herds, and it works on the same principle as herding.

It doesn't work well on independent people.

A