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Other beliefs are held through self-interest. Modern psychology leaves us no room for doubt on this point. We adopt and cling to some beliefs because—or partly because—it "pays" us to do so. But, as a rule, the person concerned is about the last person in the world to be able to recognize this in himself. Indeed, he would probably be highly indignant if told of what anyone familiar with modern psychology can recognize so plainly. It would be quite wrong to attribute all opinions—even political opinions—to self-interest. But it would be equally wrong to deny that this is one potent factor.
人们持有其他观点是出于利己之心。现代心理学使我们对这一点深信不疑。我们接受并且坚持某些观点是因为--或者部分是因为--这样做可以让我们“获益”。不过，一般说来出于利己之心持有某种观点的人大概是世上最不可能在自己身上意识到这一点的人。实际上，如果有人告诉他，住何熟悉现代心理学的人都能够清楚地看出这一点，他可能会十分愤慨。将所有的观点--甚至政治观点--都归因于利己主义是相当错误的。但是，否认自身利益是一个有力因素同样也是错误的。
"Self-interest" is to be understood first in the ordinary sense, as referring to a man's way of earning his livelihood and acquiring wealth. But we may extend the term to cover also his interest in social position; popularity with his fellows; the respect and goodwill of those whose respect and goodwill he values. It covers his interest in his own career; in whatever prestige he enjoys as one of the leaders—or at least as a valued supporter—of some movement or institution, some religious body, some other kind of society or group. There is many a man who is unconsciously compelled to cling to a belief because he is a "somebody" in some circle—and if he were to abandon that belief, he would find himself nobody at all.
从一般意义上讲，“利己”首先应该理解为一个人谋生、获取财富的一种方式。但是我们可以把这个词的意思引申到一个人对社会地位的兴趣；受伙伴欢迎的程度；以及来自他所重视的人的尊重与友善。利己还包括一个人对自己事业的兴趣，以及作为某运动或机构，某个宗教团体、某个其他社团或群体的领导者之一--或者至少是作为一位受重视的支持者--而享有的声望。有许多人无意识地被迫坚持某种观点，因为他在某个圈子里是个“重要人物”--如果他一旦摒弃那个观点，他就会发现自己不过是一个无名之辈。
