[JumpCrisscross]

> not shady side hustles and market manipulation at the cost of the collective

To be clear, I'm not describing this as legitimate self-interested conduct. Elections are an alignment mechanism. Stiff penalties for corruption another. We don't have the latter in America.

[asdf88990]

This is a true Scotsman’s fallacy. “Legitimacy” of self-interest is fluid and subjective.

Which means self-interest and collective interests are often at tension rather than alignment.

[JumpCrisscross]

> This is a true Scotsman’s fallacy. “Legitimacy” of self-interest is fluid and subjective

Legitimacy is the "alignment" question. We can't objectrively judge it, fundamentally, because it's an expression of values: to what degree do the society's system of incentives align with the greater good?

That isn't a No True Scotsman's fallacy, because there are true Scotsmen. Literally Scotsmen. And every other member of a complex society. Including, in all likelihood, you, a person who subjects themselves to laws and employment and fielty for reasons that are a mix of duty and self interest.

[asdf88990]

You seem to fail to grasp that just because people answer the call to duty it does not mean the duty is aligned with their self interest. The most stark example is joining armed forces.

[JumpCrisscross]

Another straw man. Nobody argued self interest is the only motivation.