--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-love then does not constitute THIS…" description: "\"Self-love then does not constitute THIS or THAT to be our interest or good; but, our interest or good being constituted by nature and supposed, self-lo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/joseph-butler-15390_doe_self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this_1965171.jpg" --- # Self-love then does not constitute THIS or THAT to be our… ![“Self-love then does not constitute THIS or THAT to be our interest or good; but, our interest or good being constituted by nature and supposed, self-love only puts us upon obtaining and securing it.” quote by Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/joseph-butler-15390_doe_self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this_1965171.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/joseph-butler-15390_doe_self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this_1965171.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/joseph-butler-15390_doe_self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this_1965171.jpg) > “Self-love then does not constitute THIS or THAT to be our interest or good; but, our interest or good being constituted by nature and supposed, self-love only puts us upon obtaining and securing it.” [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Self‑love aligns with natural interest and good, not a selfish pursuit. **In simple terms:** Self‑love is natural good. Key Takeaway Cultivate healthy self‑respect. Themes ethics self‑esteem nature Mood thoughtful serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - leadership - well‑being - decision making Key Concepts natural law moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑love guide your actions? - Can self‑love coexist with altruism? A Different Perspective Misinterpretation can lead to narcissism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Constitute Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constitute-good-2901549/) [Constituted Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constituted-nature-3265735/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Obtaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obtaining/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-love/) [Supposed Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-self-3265736/) ## Related quotes > [“For we are so constituted by nature, that we are ever prone to compare ourselves with others; and our happiness or misery depends very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/for-we-are-so-constituted-by-nature-that-we-are-ever-prone-to-compare/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Good laws, if they are not obeyed, do not constitute good government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/good-laws-if-they-are-not-obeyed-do-not-constitute-good-government/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [There are certain things in a man that have to be won, not forced; inspired, not compelled. Among these are many, I should say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-whitney-griswold/there-are-certain-things-in-a-man-that-have-to-be-won-not-forced/) [Alfred Whitney Griswold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-whitney-griswold/) > [“Just as legendary rivers were used to represent the flow of life, so Mount Athos is a handy image to show human vulnerability. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-parry/just-as-legendary-rivers-were-used-to-represent-the-flow-of-life-so/) [David Parry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-parry/) > [Look at everything that exists, and observe that it is already in dissolution and in change, and as it were putrefaction or dispersion, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/look-at-everything-that-exists-and-observe-that-it-is-already-in/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Nothing can constitute good-breeding that has not good-nature for its foundation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/nothing-can-constitute-good-breeding-that-has-not-good-nature-for-its/) [Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-bulwer-lytton-1st-baron-lytton/) > [“The mischief springs from the power which the monied interest derives from a paper currency which they are able to control, from the multitude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-jackson/the-mischief-springs-from-the-power-which-the-monied-interest-derives/) [Andrew Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-jackson/) > [The principle we call self-love never seeks anything external for the sake of the thing, but only as a means of happiness or good:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/the-principle-we-call-self-love-never-seeks-anything-external-for-the/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [Every man is to be considered in two capacities, the private and public; as designed to pursue his own interest, and likewise to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/every-man-is-to-be-considered-in-two-capacities-the-private-and/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [There is nothing to fear from truth…Being truthful is essential to being an independent thinker and obtaining greater understanding of what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/there-is-nothing-to-fear-from-truth-being-truthful-is-essential-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [But the desire of obtaining the advantages, and of escaping the burthens, of political society, is a perpetual and inexhaustible source of discord; nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/but-the-desire-of-obtaining-the-advantages-and-of-escaping-the/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [Of the laws of nature, on which the condition of man depends, that which is attended with the greatest number of consequences, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mill/of-the-laws-of-nature-on-which-the-condition-of-man-depends-that/) [James Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mill/) > [He who knows how to wait for what he desires does not feel very desperate if he fails in obtaining it; and he, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/he-who-knows-how-to-wait-for-what-he-desires-does-not-feel-very/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [After taking my B.A. degree in 1939 I remained at the University for a further year to take an advanced course in Biochemistry, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-sanger/after-taking-my-b-a-degree-in-1939-i-remained-at-the-university-for-a/) [Frederick Sanger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-sanger/) > [A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but it needed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor/a-man-as-a-man-could-arrive-at-all-the-dignity-that-a-man-was-capable/) [John Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor/) ## More by Joseph Butler > [Every man is to be considered in two capacities, the private and public; as designed to pursue his own interest, and likewise to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/every-man-is-to-be-considered-in-two-capacities-the-private-and/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [Every man hath a general desire of his own happiness; and likewise a variety of particular affections, passions, and appetites to particular external objects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/every-man-hath-a-general-desire-of-his-own-happiness-and-likewise-a/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [The principle we call self-love never seeks anything external for the sake of the thing, but only as a means of happiness or good:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/the-principle-we-call-self-love-never-seeks-anything-external-for-the/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [However, without considering this connection, there is no doubt but that more good than evil, more delight than sorrow, arises from compassion itself; there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/however-without-considering-this-connection-there-is-no-doubt-but/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [There is a much more exact correspondence between the natural and moral world than we are apt to take notice of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/there-is-a-much-more-exact-correspondence-between-the-natural-and/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [Virtue, as such, naturally procures considerable advantages to the virtuous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/virtue-as-such-naturally-procures-considerable-advantages-to-the/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [Remember likewise there are persons who love fewer words, an inoffensive sort of people, and who deserve some regard, though of too still and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/remember-likewise-there-are-persons-who-love-fewer-words-an/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [This was the man, this Balaam, I say, was the man, who desired to die the death of the righteous, and that his last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/this-was-the-man-this-balaam-i-say-was-the-man-who-desired-to-die-the/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [Love of our neighbour, then, has just the same respect to, is no more distant from, self-love, than hatred of our neighbour, or than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/love-of-our-neighbour-then-has-just-the-same-respect-to-is-no-more/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [Pain and sorrow and misery have a right to our assistance: compassion puts us in mind of the debt, and that we owe it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/pain-and-sorrow-and-misery-have-a-right-to-our-assistance-compassion/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [The object of self-love is expressed in the term self; and every appetite of sense, and every particular affection of the heart, are equally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/the-object-of-self-love-is-expressed-in-the-term-self-and-every/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [The love of liberty that is not a real principle of dutiful behavior to authority is as hypocritical as the religion that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/the-love-of-liberty-that-is-not-a-real-principle-of-dutiful-behavior/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [Happiness does not consist in self-love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/happiness-does-not-consist-in-self-love/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [It is not at all incredible, that a book which has been so long in the possession of mankind should contain many truths as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/it-is-not-at-all-incredible-that-a-book-which-has-been-so-long-in-the/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) > [As this world was not intended to be a state of any great satisfaction or high enjoyment, so neither was it intended to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/as-this-world-was-not-intended-to-be-a-state-of-any-great/) [Joseph Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) [Explore all 43 Joseph Butler quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? Not necessarily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bernanke/if-wall-street-crashes-does-main-street-follow-not-necessarily/) [Ben Bernanke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bernanke/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) [Browse all 25,574 Doe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Self-love then does not constitute THIS or THAT to be our interest or good; but, our interest or good being constituted by nature and supposed, self-love only puts us upon obtaining and securing it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joseph Butler" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this-or-that-to-be-our-interest-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doe" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this-or-that-to-be-our-interest-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/joseph-butler-15390_doe_self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this_1965171.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/joseph-butler-15390_doe_self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this_1965171.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce7/joseph-butler-15390_doe_self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this_1965171.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Self-love then does not constitute THIS or THAT to be our interest or good; but, our interest or good being…” — Joseph Butler", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joseph Butler", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-butler/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Self-love then does not constitute THIS...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this-or-that-to-be-our-interest-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-butler/self-love-then-does-not-constitute-this-or-that-to-be-our-interest-or/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```