pointed out that one of the results of the extraordinary tyranny of
authority is that words are absolutely distorted from their proper
and simple meaning, and are used to express the obverse of their
right signification. What is true about Art is true about Life. A
man is called affected, nowadays, if he dresses as he likes to
dress. But in doing that he is acting in a perfectly natural
manner. Affectation, in such matters, consists in dressing
according to the views of one's neighbour, whose views, as they are
the views of the majority, will probably be extremely stupid. Or a
man is called selfish if he lives in the manner that seems to him
most suitable for the full realisation of his own personality; if,
in fact, the primary aim of his life is self-development. But this
is the way in which everyone should live. Selfishness is not
living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one
wishes to live. And unselfishness is letting other people's lives
alone, not interfering with them. Selfishness always aims at
creating around it an absolute uniformity of type. Unselfishness
recognises infinite variety of type as a delightful thing, accepts
it, acquiesces in it, enjoys it. It is not selfish to think for
oneself. A man who does not think for himself does not think at
all. It is grossly selfish to require of ones neighbour that he
should think in the same way, and hold the same opinions. Why
should he? If he can think, he will probably think differently.
If he cannot think, it is monstrous to require thought of any kind
from him. A red rose is not selfish because it wants to be a red
rose. It would be horribly selfish if it wanted all the other
flowers in the garden to be both red and roses. Under
Individualism people will be quite natural and absolutely
unselfish, and will know the meanings of the words, and realise
them in their free, beautiful lives. Nor will men be egotistic as