Altruism Quote by Albert J. Nock
“By consequence I hold that no one ever did, or can do, anything for "society."... Comte invented the term altruism as an antonym for egoism, and it found its way at once into everyone's mouth, although it is utterly devoid of meaning, since it points to nothing that ever existed in mankind; This hybrid or rather this degenerate form of hedonism served powerfully to invest collectivism's principles with a specious moral sanction, and collectivists naturally made the most of it.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Individualist, 1975
Altruism, coined as the opposite of egoism, is meaningless because it references a non‑existent ideal, and it is used to give a false moral veneer to collectivist hedonism.
In simple terms: Altruism is a hollow term used to legitimize collectivist selfishness.
Key Takeaway
Question the moral language of collectivism.
Themes
politics
philosophy
ethics
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- political debate
- social movements
- policy analysis
Key Concepts
ideology
moral rhetoric
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you see real examples of selfless behavior?
- How does language shape moral perception?
A Different Perspective
The critique may ignore genuine altruistic actions.
![“[Altruism] is a moral system which holds that man has no right to exist for his own sake, that service to others is the sole justification of his existence, and that self-sacrifice is his highest moral duty, value and virtue. This is the moral base of collectivism, of all dictatorships.” quote by Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f16/ayn-rand-59_altruism_altruism-is-a-moral-system-which-holds-t_311034.jpg)
