--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Self-interest, be it enlightened, works…" description: "\"Self-interest, be it enlightened, works indirectly for the public good.\" — William H. Prescott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/william-h-prescott-42907_enlightened_self-interest-be-it-enlightened-works-in_2309026.jpg" --- # Self-interest, be it enlightened, works indirectly for the… ![“Self-interest, be it enlightened, works indirectly for the public good.” quote by William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/william-h-prescott-42907_enlightened_self-interest-be-it-enlightened-works-in_2309026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/william-h-prescott-42907_enlightened_self-interest-be-it-enlightened-works-in_2309026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d6/william-h-prescott-42907_enlightened_self-interest-be-it-enlightened-works-in_2309026.jpg) > “Self-interest, be it enlightened, works indirectly for the public good.” [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Enlightened self‑interest benefits society indirectly, aligning personal gain with public good. **In simple terms:** Self‑interest can help others. Key Takeaway Pursue enlightened self‑interest. Themes ethics economics society Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - business decisions - policy making - community projects Key Concepts public good self‑interest theory Questions to Reflect On - When does personal gain harm the public? - How to ensure self‑interest stays enlightened? A Different Perspective Self‑interest can conflict with altruism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Indirectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indirectly/) [Indirectly Public](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indirectly-public-5477279/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Public good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-good/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-enlightened-2378745/) [Self interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-interest/) [Works Indirectly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-indirectly-5477280/) ## Related quotes > [The acceptance of corporatism causes us to deny and undermine the legitimacy of the individual as citizen in a democracy. 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Not directly, but indirectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-terrorist-action-of-9-11-gave-birth-to-president-obama-s-entry-to/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I do get my pizzas paid for by Linux indirectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linus-torvalds/i-do-get-my-pizzas-paid-for-by-linux-indirectly/) [Linus Torvalds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linus-torvalds/) > [Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whatever-affects-one-directly-affects-all-indirectly/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What about those who help growth indirectly, those who stay at home and look after others - mothers, carers of elderly parents or sick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noreena-hertz/what-about-those-who-help-growth-indirectly-those-who-stay-at-home/) [Noreena Hertz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noreena-hertz/) > [What happens to one directly happens to all indirectly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-turner/what-happens-to-one-directly-happens-to-all-indirectly/) [Nina Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-turner/) ## More by William H. 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Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [“a government, which does not rest on the sympathies of its subjects, cannot long abide; that human institutions, when not connected with human prosperity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/a-government-which-does-not-rest-on-the-sympathies-of-its-subjects/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [The triumphs of the warrior are bounded by the narrow theatre of his own age; but those of a Scott or a Shakspeare will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/the-triumphs-of-the-warrior-are-bounded-by-the-narrow-theatre-of-his/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Where there is no free agency, there can be no morality. Where there is no temptation, there can be little claim to virtue. Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/where-there-is-no-free-agency-there-can-be-no-morality-where-there-is/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [No man is quite so much a hero in the dark as in broad daylight, in solitude as in society, in the gloom of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/no-man-is-quite-so-much-a-hero-in-the-dark-as-in-broad-daylight-in/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [The history of literature is the history of the human mind. It is, as compared with other histories, the intellectual as distinguished from the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/the-history-of-literature-is-the-history-of-the-human-mind-it-is-as/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) > [Architecture is, to a certain extent, a sensual gratification. It addresses itself to the eye, and affords the best scope for the parade of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-prescott/architecture-is-to-a-certain-extent-a-sensual-gratification-it/) [William H. Prescott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) [Explore all 10 William H. Prescott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-prescott/) ## More Enlightened quotes > [An enlightened awareness is within each one of us, right at this moment. This enlightened awareness is truly unborn and marvellously illuminating; and everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bankei-yotaku/an-enlightened-awareness-is-within-each-one-of-us-right-at-this/) [Bankei Yotaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bankei-yotaku/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Now the stage today is to know that Self Realization gives you experiences and then your faith is established. Not blind but open enlightened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nirmala-srivastava/now-the-stage-today-is-to-know-that-self-realization-gives-you/) [Nirmala Srivastava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nirmala-srivastava/) > [ “Through the grace of a thief, one can become a thief and through the grace of a Gnani \[the enlightened one\], one can become… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/through-the-grace-of-a-thief-one-can-become-a-thief-and-through-the/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Our attitude towards evil must be freed from hatred, and has itself need to be enlightened in character...Satan rejoices when he succeeds in inspiring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-berdyaev/our-attitude-towards-evil-must-be-freed-from-hatred-and-has-itself/) [Nikolai Berdyaev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-berdyaev/) > [I think enlightenment is something that you decide to do after you have met someone who is enlightened. 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And what is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/so-too-monks-i-saw-the-ancient-path-the-ancient-road-traveled-by-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [We do not have to be ashamed of what we are. As sentient beings we have wonderful backgrounds. These backgrounds may not be particularly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-do-not-have-to-be-ashamed-of-what-we-are-as-sentient-beings-we/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [For I did not know that the soul needs to be enlightened by light from outside itself, so that it can participate in truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-i-did-not-know-that-the-soul-needs-to-be-enlightened-by-light/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [As a child there was no place for adventure or experimentation. I guess that kind of freedom started in high school with punk rock.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcnairy/as-a-child-there-was-no-place-for-adventure-or-experimentation-i/) [Mark McNairy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcnairy/) > [In dealing with those who share his bed, the enlightened ruler may enjoy their beauty but should not listen to their special pleas...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-fei/in-dealing-with-those-who-share-his-bed-the-enlightened-ruler-may/) [Han Fei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-fei/) > [“Even when you have been somewhat enlightened by what you have read, you are called upon to continue the serach for significance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/even-when-you-have-been-somewhat-enlightened-by-what-you-have-read/) [Mortimer J. Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-j-adler/) > [I want to engage people in an honest, enlightened, and provocative conversation about the nature of erotic desire and the intricacies of intimacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/i-want-to-engage-people-in-an-honest-enlightened-and-provocative/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) [Browse all 1,151 Enlightened quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Self-interest, be it enlightened, works indirectly for the public good.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William H. 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