
How does Stoicism reconcile personal character development over pro-social outcomes (global happiness in utilitarianism)?
Hello friends,
Massimo Pigliucci uses the example of a person volunteering at the local soup kitchen in order to add a valuable line on their resume. (link to video (around 00h49min))
Utilitarism would be OK with this behaviour in the idea that it ultimately works towards increasing the global happiness of the world, regardless of your motives.
On the contrary, this action would not fit stoicism, as it's motivated by un-virtuous motives and degrades your character.
My question is : is stoicism inherently more self-centered than utilitarism, that accepts to sacrifice part of an alleged global happiness in favour of developing one's own character ? and does it not contradict the stoicism pro-social, cosmopolitan view of mankind ?
Or do stoics believe that, becoming a flourishing, virtuous human being is incidently a way to ultimately achieve a greater global outcome of happiness for mankind ?
Or maybe stoics reject the very idea of a some global happiness and the way to have any rational control of how one's action would impact it, positively or not ? (which I think would be borderline bad faith in some cases)