A clear understanding of what my best interests are. This includes recognizing that I depend on a larger community and its best interests are pretty much mine.
A good psychotherapist, who helped me sort-out the difference between my best interests and my neurotic needs so I could choose more wisely. This also helped me to identify the neurotic needs of the community versus the legitimate ones.
Acting to serve my best interests, which includes the community. This includes learning from my own mistakes and tolerating others' mistakes so they could learn. It does not include protecting others from such learning experiences.
Thrift, delayed gratification, and simply paying attention to finances. In this context, I see charity to the community pretty much the same as investment. And I invest to gain a return.
This makes me a comfortably-set, politically liberal, and satisfied on many different levels.
I have a simple response
This makes me a comfortably-set, politically liberal, and satisfied on many different levels.