The concept of taking sides in a fight to the weaker person is an every day occurrence in our modern lives today. A fight is a something that displays strength and weakness. Men will always fight. It is there human nature. A fight will always explain that a man, no matter what circumstances will always be more interested in his own happiness then others.
The world is split into two different types of people; the dominant and the weak. In paragraph seven , Smith says that Mandeville believes every man only takes part in fights for praise by others and being viewed as the more dominant person. In paragraph seven smith states "Man, he observes, is naturally much more interested in his own happiness than in that of others, and it is impossible that in his heart he can ever really prefer their prosperity to his own. Whenever he appears to do so, we may be assured that he imposes upon us, and that he is then acting from the same selfish motives as at all other times. Among his other selfish passions, vanity is one of the strongest, and he is always easily flattered and greatly delighted with the applauses of those about him. When he appears to sacrifice his own interest to that of his companions, he knows that conduct will be highly agreeable to their self–love, and that they will not fail to express their satisfaction by bestowing upon him the most extravagant praises. The pleasure which he expects from this, over–balances, in his opinion, the interest which he abandons in order to procure it. His conduct, therefore, upon this occasion, is in reality just as selfish, and arises from just as mean a as upon any other." Smith is pretty much saying that in a sense every man is selfish. Even though they try to help the weaker in a fight, they're are only doing it for praise by and audience and being viewed as a strong person. They are only interested in they're self love and perception by other people.
Men will always reach out to the weaker in any kind of "fight". I agree with smith and believe every man is selfish and that is there human nature. The nature of a man is something hard to understand but a man will always be out for himself.
It is true that Smith summarizes Mandeville's argument in the terms you quote above, but he clearly does not agree with them for the most part. Why did you feel that Smith was arguing that people are selfish? Is there a quote that suggested it? Remember that this passage is a summary of Mandeville, not of Smith's own views, and it's one meant to convey suspicion and doubt.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting that you keep referring to men in a fight. What is this a reference to? Is there a passage about fighting that Smith's summary of Mandeville reminded you of? How does fighting fit in with the larger argument?
Liam, I find your blog interesting. I wrote also about Mandeville and the fights that man get in. I also found Mandeville talking about man being selfish and needing to "Fight" it out to fulfill his own satisfaction. I would agree too that it is in mans nature to fight and I don't see that ever changing in the future. Selfishness will always lead to fights, always.
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