is not the same as "being selfish" but rather means taking responsibility for your own happiness first. It is the engine that helps society run. Someone's self interest in it's fullest sense actually works beneficially for others ie - the baker works to make money but in the same instance provides bread for the community. In reality everyone works for themselves anyway, some just pretend they aren't. For example a doctor working in a third-world country serves their own self interest (ie - rightly deserved self fulfillment from helping others) while also giving medical help to the population. Self interest does not necessarily focus on perpetually trying to increase wealth. True self interest is commonly win-win rather than win-lose.
