Why it is stupid to think all people are motivated exclusively by self-interest

Who says it's stupid? All people act in their own self-interest in one way or another.

David Ricardo and then Milton made this point clear.

Quote from Ghost of Cutten:

Consider the case of political dissidents in repressive countries - they deliberately take a public course of action, which they know full well will result in them and possibly their friends & family being arrested, jailed for years (usually decades), tortured and so on. And furthermore, they know that the odds of them being successful in their lifetimes are quite low (and that their chance of reaching that point is lowered significantly by being jailed, beaten, malnourished or executed). Yet each generation, there are large numbers of such dissidents around the world.

Even if there is some kind of personal pyschic satisfaction in 'fighting for good', only someone who has never actually endured any meaningful pain in their life, or thinks dissidents have radically different nervous systems and physiology to the rest of us, could possibly think that the net result of this course of action would be anything other than extremely negative for the individual. The vast majority of people give up their friends and families to certain death, in the face of prolonged torture - that's how painful and unendurable it usually is. No possible balance of pleasure and pain, once torture is introduced, could result in a net positive outcome, when judged purely by self-interest. The only conclusion then, is that other motivations, such as self-sacrifice in pursuit of a higher ideal, or values beyond the individual, are what swing the balance and allow people to resist in such harsh conditions.

So it's clearly wrong to say that all people are motivated strictly by self-interest. Not only that, it is a most irrational, delusional, self-justifying argument - the type made by people who are more interested in performing logical contortions in order to avoid having to change their mind one iota, than in finding out the truth about human nature and reality. Bear that in mind next time you hear some evo-psych, objectivist, or other reductionist argument.
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Sacrificing self-preservation, and doing so without harming anyone else, is the only viable form of not being motivated by self-interest.

The reason is that you are in the process of the act annihilating your own concept of "self". There is no "self"-interest any longer at that point.

Joseph Campbell recounted a story of a young man about to commit suicide by jumping off the gorge at Nu'uanu Pali in Hawaii. A police car pulled up and an officer jumped out and grabbed the man just as he was going over. He would have been pulled over too, except his partner jumped out of the other side of the car and grabbed hold to keep the other two from falling over. When the first officer was asked later by a reporter why he risked almost dying with the jumper, he said "I couldn't let go. If I had let go of that young man I would not have been able to face myself another day."
 
I think Nietzsche got it right with his "will to power". It is the will to power that allows you to overcome the instinct of self-preservation e.g.

As for political dissidents, while they may have to endure bodily harm, I am quite confident they feel rewarded (mentally) by standing up for their convictions.

"Man is something that shall be overcome. What have you done to overcome him?"
 
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All beings act toward their own self interest, except those beings who are absolutely self complacent.

The important consideration is what truly is in one's own best interest...

People routinely place their faith in having their self interest served by voting for this politician or that, by following this or that trading system devised by another, by choosing one friend over an other, by following or rejecting one religion over another, etc.

Do they make sound choices in where to invest their faith and trust in getting their self interest served?

Self interest no doubt is the prime directive of everyone...but what will truly bring the highest self interest to anyone is the burning question.
 
For some, "Self" is the physical self, which seeks food, comfort, and reproduction. Rutting animals have this sense of self.

Then there is an intellectual self - one's thoughts, beliefs and ideas. Human beings have this above rutting animals.

In some beliefs the whole idea of self is an illusion perpetrated by the physical world and we are much greater than we perceive ourselves to be but are confined temporarily to 4 dimensions and 5 senses.

You get to pick where you are.
 
Which is exactly what being free to choose is all about. We all have to make these decisions for ourselves, and be thankful that we have (to the extent that we still do), the freedom to do so.

Perhaps you'd be qualified to articulate on this a bit further. After all, you have traversed much theological ground yourself. From conversion to Judaism, into conversion to scientology, from scientology to "deism", also AA/12 step programs are even kind of like religions themselves. In what ways did perceived self interest play into each of these decisions/developments?

Quote from OPTIONAL777:

All beings act toward their own self interest, except those beings who are absolutely self complacent.

The important consideration is what truly is in one's own best interest...

People routinely place their faith in having their self interest served by voting for this politician or that, by following this or that trading system devised by another, by choosing one friend over an other, by following or rejecting one religion over another, etc.

Do they make sound choices in where to invest their faith and trust in getting their self interest served?

Self interest no doubt is the prime directive of everyone...but what will truly bring the highest self interest to anyone is the burning question.
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yes they act in their perceived best interest , although their gratification horizon is far shorter than most people. you see, things aren't quite so simple, that's why it's best to allow each individual to determine what is best for him or her individually, and pursue that destiny.

Quote from stock777:

does a ho walking the street, or a drug addict, or a compulsive gambler act in their own self interest?
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Quote from phenomena:

Which is exactly what being free to choose is all about. We all have to make these decisions for ourselves, and be thankful that we have (to the extent that we still do), the freedom to do so. /B]
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The question is; are we really free to make decisions or are they made for us, by ourselves?
 
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