people with integrity

Adam Smith also talks about a selfish passion, which is a desire for praise.

He argues that people instinctively desire praise, but that, as they mature, this feeling develops into a desire for praiseworthiness.

James Choi:

“I think this underlies how the economy works.

“We start out with selfish feelings, which are intermixed with feelings of empathy for others, and then we develop this mature desire to be praiseworthy.

“I think it is central to our civilization that people do that.”