Recently actor Matthew McConaughey, speaking of his desire to “evolve” as an actor and make more interesting films, shared his perspective on selfishness with GQ:

I got much more selfish. I'm a fan of the word selfish. Self. Ish. When I say I have gotten a lot more self-ish, I mean I am less concerned with what people think of me. I'm not worried about how I'm perceived. Selfish has always gotten a bad rap. You should do for you. I wanted new experiences.

Whether McConaughey’s thoughts here are based on a deeper philosophic view of the morality of self-interest, it is heartening to hear an actor (particularly one of his stature) so emphatically express an appreciation for genuine selfishness.

True selfishness is about (among other things) pursuing a rational purpose in life (such as acting), developing your abilities, thinking for yourself, and reaching increasingly ambitious goals.

Kudos to McConaughey for selfishly reaching excellence in his profession (I greatly enjoyed his recent film Mud) and for embracing a proper view of self-interest.

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Image: Wikimedia Commons (David Torcivia)