Is solipsism selfish

@Reject solipsism has two definitions but in terms of philosophy it’s simply the realization that the only thing that can be proven to exist is your own mind. That doesn’t mean that someone is self centered or egotistical at all.

@FriedDoughnuts That’s exactly what it means. If the only thing proven to exist is your own mind, then you have nothing else other than the self to base your beliefs on. Thus making you self centered.

@Reject maybe I’m misunderstanding but isn’t that true for anyone? I found it hard to believe that someone might hold a belief that has no relation to themselves or their values? As humans every single thing we do in our lives is dictated by our own experiences,values and thought. Not somebody else’s

@FriedDoughnuts With solipsism you’re the only one. So that’s not true for anyone else, because anyone else doesn’t exist. Only you because you’re all that is.

@Reject exactly I’m saying that no one else is going to be basing their beliefs off other people because the only ‘other’ that can exist is my own mind. Despite that in normal conversation in daily life if I refer to ‘anyone else’ to not exist I am told I am rude and self centered so of course I change my vocabulary

@FriedDoughnuts You can easily base your beliefs off other people if you’re a not a solipsist. Everything bares a relation to the self, sure, but not everything is the self. That’s the difference if you’re not a solipsist. However, since you’re all that exists in your own mind as one, you can’t possibly be anything other than selfish.

@Reject well I would much rather a life where I can understand and take care of myself instead of a world where I’m in a constant worry of pleasing other. Say if everything and everyone was in fact real. What’s so wrong with prioritizing my necessities and feeling. Nobody else is going to take care of me if I dont do it myself

@FriedDoughnuts There’s nothing wrong with taking care of yourself first as the priority. In fact, I hope people do. With Solipsism though, there is no taking care of anything else, period.

@Reject For example what would be something that a solipsist wouldn’t take care of?

@FriedDoughnuts Literally anything else.

@Reject I think there are a lot of thing that a ‘solipsist’ would take care of considering in life there are many things that are closely related to the self

@FriedDoughnuts How can you can take care of anything else other than yourself when yourself is all that exists?

@Reject because I’m still able to interact with the world my mind perceives to be real.

@FriedDoughnuts And what happens when you interact with that world you perceive to be real? You take care of yourself.

@Reject the world I perceive to be real IS my mind or at least an extension of it. Of course I can do what’s best for me in a close relation but I’m not stupid to think that things I do in the perceived world doesn’t have an effect on my emotions or thoughts

@FriedDoughnuts Right, and when this effect happens, it’s happening to you. Good or bad, you’re the basis of everything. Why do you think Solipsism is defined like it is? You can only be selfish when there’s nothing else. What part of this confuses you?

@Reject I feel like you’re not understanding. I can’t be selfish. It’s not possible. Who am I being selfish to? There isn’t anyone to be able to be selfish to. What does selfish even mean

@FriedDoughnuts You’re being selfish to all the people who aren’t solipsists. Since they’re all a part of you, you’re being selfish to yourself. It’s all about you after all. Selfish is very simple to define. It’s concern that is excessively or exclusively for oneself.

@Reject but there isn’t anyone who isn’t a solipsist?

@FriedDoughnuts Well, I’m not a solipsist. Since I’m in your mind though and I know you lack consideration for anyone else since we’re not real, feel free to think I am one.