What is self-interest? This is the benefit, material benefit

What is self-interest? This is a benefit, material benefit. Also this word can mean a character trait. What is a synonym for the word self-interest can I choose?

Overall value

On the question of what is self-interest, Vladimir Dahl responded in the following way: a passion for livelihood, acquisition, greed for money, covetousness, faltering at the profit. Under this word you can also understand the benefits, benefits or profits.

In oral folk art, there are a lot of proverbs that answer the question about what greed is. According to one of them, without this character trait you can not trade. According to another - self-interest, if it is not righteous, for the future does not go. However, what is self-interest? Does it exist? Can the notion of "self-interest" have a positive connotation?

Synonyms

You can replace such nouns as greed, mercantile, greed, money-grubbing concept of "greed". The meaning of this word in modern Russian differs somewhat from the semantic meaning that it possessed a hundred or two hundred years ago. Earlier, in common speech, quite often used in relation to business the notion of "self-interest". The meaning of the word in this case did not have a negative connotation. The occupation, which brings income, was called self-interest. Synonyms for the adjective in this sense are profitable, profitable, giving profits.

If a person was told that he was not self-serving, but poor, it was meant that he was too wasteful. The proverb "not mercenary, but not insulting" can be applied to an enterprise that did not bring any benefit, but did not cause harm. Synonyms for an adverb, formed from a word, the value of which is devoted to this article, is useful, profitable, good.

Self-interest is a word that used to be used in the sense of growth, interest. Verbs, adjectives formed from this word are given below. But most of them are not used in modern speech.

Related words

The person who possessed by passion for riches was called a selfish person. This word was also used in relation to the one who is indiscriminate in the means of gaining profit. To engage in money means to pursue mercantile goals. And, finally, to get busy - to get benefits. Other single root words: avarice, mercenary, greedy. These nouns are given in the dictionary of Dal. In modern speech, they can hardly be relevant. Of all the above words today, only two are found in oral and written usage: self-interest, self-interest.

Antonyms

Concepts that are opposite in meaning to the phrase "self-serving person" are a disinterested, altruistic, unselfish person. Examples:

1. The poet strove to seem unreflected, and therefore avoided any situations that could convict a greedy person in him.
2. Altrust is a person who acts for the benefit of others, not pursuing selfish goals.

Sayings of great

Self-interest is a human defect. About him a lot is said by writers, philosophers and poets. Ancient Greek politician Chilo argued that any punishment is better than a vile greed. After all, the first can only disappoint once. Self-interest - forever.

Another ancient sage - Sallust - believed that avarice deprives people of the most cherished feelings. Namely love of the fatherland, family, desire for kindness and purity.

Persian poet Rumi Jalaleddin was sure that self-interest lives in the soul of every person. She, like other vices, is alien only to the servant of love. Fonvizin on this property of character said a lot, like a vile human vice. But, like Jalaleddin, the writer insisted that love is stronger than covetousness.

Chinese philosopher Hung Zychen recommended to get rid of selfish thoughts. From their appearance, knowledge turns into recklessness, hardness is cowardice, and purity is depravity. But Voltaire did not consider self-interest the most terrible human vice. More crimes, according to the French writer, can commit violent jealousy.

We can say that people are increasingly favored with self-interest each century. Margaret Mitchell, for example, advised not to confuse this vice with such a positive character trait as foresight. However, the American writer (or her heroine) admitted that this is the same thing. John Kennedy argued that disinterested people live only in illusions, while in self-interested opportunities there is much more. After all, they have money, and they can buy almost everything, including illusions.