[BfloGuy]

But I am a better person for helping give other people the opportunity to improve their lives.

Ah, then you do derive some benefit from helping others. In that case, Rand would have approved quite heartily. It was only hair-shirt denial that she criticized.

The credo that I must help others even though it hurts me -- indeed, because it hurts me. That's the definition of "altruism". She hated that.

So do I. Because it's always false and usually imposed from above.

[usconservative]

Excellent post! Nailed it exactly.