the idea “publik benefits” comes from mandeville’s the fable of the bees: or, private vices, publick benefits, where he tells a story about a beehive that thrives due to the selfish actions of individual bees. their private vices, like greed and indulgence, unintentionally lead to progress and prosperity for the entire hive. mandeville argued that self-interest, even when it seems immoral, can drive economic growth and benefit society as a whole.

his idea challenged the belief that virtue is essential for a thriving society, suggesting that collective progress often arises from personal gain.

we hold this to be true, and a staple of life that humans overlook and misinterpret as vices inherently being bad qualities. when in reality, they’re quite the opposite.