The-Conquest-of-Happiness-by-Bertrand-Russell

the right. Idealism causes simple motives to wear
strange disguises, and therefore some dash of
realistic cynicism does not come amiss in our
public men. Conventional morality inculcates a
degree of altruism of which human nature is
scarcely capable, and those who pride themselves
upon their virtue often imagine that they attain this
unattainable ideal. The immense majority of even
the noblest persons’ actions have self-regarding
motives, nor is this to be regretted, since, if it were
otherwise, the human race could not survive. A
man who spent his time seeing that others were fed
and forgot to feed himself would perish. He may,
of course, take nourishment solely in order to
provide himself with the necessary strength to
plunge again into the battle against evil, but it is
doubtful whether food eaten with this motive could
be adequately digested, since the flow of saliva
would be insufficiently stimulated. It is better
therefore that a man should eat because he enjoys
his food than that the time he spends at his meals
should be solely inspired by a desire for the public
good.