[TradicalRC]

I believe the Capitalist system is the most just economic system. That said, it seems that the author defines most helpful as making the most money. Money is not everything. And to reduce human beings to mere cogs in an economic machine distorts their humanity. People have souls. Mother Theresa met people's needs both spiritual and physical. I agree that good hearted folk should not attempt to save the world. They also treat people as abstractions. One should be loving (kind,good) to those one meets in life. Milken, I recall went to jail. All his money could not purchase his freedom. Nor can it purchase his soul. You made a caricature out of kind persons ( I agree that altruism has its dark side, but so does self interest). Witness the CEO's who gave themselves raises while laying off thousands of workers. As a culture with so many people following the money wherever it takes them, we have become a rootless society. What good is making a lot of money like old man Potter in It's a Wonderful Life if our communities end up becoming a Pottersville. While I would like to make more money, I also want to raise my kids in a decent place. We are not economic islands untouched by other people's behavior and the market does not care for virtue. But it is necessary.

[GirlShortstop]

I believe the Capitalist system is the most just economic system. That said, it seems that the author defines most helpful as making the most money. Money is not everything. And to reduce human beings to mere cogs in an economic machine distorts their humanity. People have souls. Mother Theresa met people's needs both spiritual and physical. I agree that good hearted folk should not attempt to save the world.

Nicely put TRC.

As it happens, a free market encourages self-interested people to act in ways that benefit others. So we need not spend much time lamenting people’s self-interest.

...I find this line of argument compelling. But having now taught for 20 years, I’ve learned that it leaves a sour taste in the mouths of many students. "But wouldn’t it be great if we all were like Mother Teresa?" students earnestly ask.

No, it would not be great. It would be catastrophically bad.

A very broad, naive question has been presented by the students.  Conversely, a very narrow response comes from the prof.  If this is actually how he answers those who seek to learn, could it not be argued that *he* has served his self-interest satisfactorily, to the detriment of his students?   

If the answer to the question above is yes, then don't count me as nonplused since such a thing occurred in a college classroom!