Self-Interest and Self-Righteousness

I aim to convince the reader that two things which work against social progress, social justice, the ability to survive global warming, and so on are two age-old human habits: self-interest and self-righteousness. I suppose these are aptly termed vices, since that conjures up the Christian sense of virtues vs. vices (vices such as pride, greed, etc.). Indeed, the reason humanity sucks so badly—and why it has almost destroyed its only home, and why so many have suffered (even died!) over the millennia—is that we have these traits and tendencies within us that stymie and counteract and subvert our other, higher notions such as goodwill toward man, love of one's neighbor, caring, compassion, a reasonable type of equality and equal opportunity, etc. As of this writing, it is the holiday period, and I suggest you go watch a rendition of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol if you are not on board with this idea (that short story punches waaaay above its weight class in regard to the work it does in capturing the omnipresent and recalcitrant needs within each of us for self-interest and self-righteousness!).

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