Conflicts of Interest
7 minute speech given to Titan Toastmasters on 8 April 2002 for Competant Toastmaster (Speech #3) from Communication and Leadership Manual (Organize Your Speech)

(During this speech, I gradually affixed colorful pages to a tablet on an easel for visual reference.)

Life as football game. One team wins, other team loses.

In politics, rich get wealthy on backs of poor. Tax cut debates. Wealth of society like pie.

Basic idea that people necessarily have conflicts of interest. My success is your failure. Life is zero sum game.

Strong impact in ethics. Basic choice between:

1. pursuing my happiness at expense of your happiness.
2. pursuing your happiness at expense of my happiness.

First: my interests trump yours, no matter what cost to you. Might makes right. Step on necks. Anything to get ahead. Screw everyone else.

Second: your interests trump mine, no matter what cost to me. Service to others is noble. Sacrifice for others is good. Selflessness, not considering yourself, is great virtue.

Morality as choice between being master over others or being servant to others.

People try to resolve this problem by advocating a balance of own interests and others interests. Inelegant solution. Leaves too many questions. Preserves unnecessary false alternative.

But there are no necessary conflicts of interest. Can rationally pursue own happiness without harming others. Often helping others, even if unintended.

In rejecting conflicts of interest, ideal is voluntary trade to mutual benefit. Both people better off.

Think of trade as business activity to get material stuff. $3 to Starbucks for White Chocolate Mocha. Both benefit.

May seem strange, same principle applies to more personal, emotional, spiritual matters.

In friendship trade time, attention, favors. In this exchange, both better off. If not, then not real friendship.

Even most parent-child relationships involve long-term benefits on each side. For adult, joy of watching child grow and learn, pleasure of adult relationship. For child, food, shelter, education, love, hopefully lifetime friend in parent.

In thinking about ethics, no need to choose between being master or being servant, between your happiness and happiness of others. In long run, everyone benefits in relationships based upon trade to mutual advantage, by rationally pursuing own happiness and leaving others free to do same.

Don't be slave or master. Be a free person, a trader!