Richard Gephardt's Be Selfish Reframes the Golden Rule as Practical Self-Interest

Los Angeles, California Nov 3, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - Richard Gephardt presents a practical case for purposeful self-interest in Be Selfish: Live the Golden Rule, a memoir and personal-development guide built around treating others with the same respect and consideration one hopes to receive.

Drawing on eight decades of personal and professional experience, Gephardt describes the Golden Rule as more than an ideal. The book frames kindness, empathy, and ethical conduct as habits that strengthen relationships, improve decision-making, and create positive returns across family life, education, interviews, public service, and the workplace. Scriptural lessons, parental guidance, and lived examples support its central message.

In a review for The US Review of Books, Mihir Shah characterizes the work as simple, straightforward, and profound. The review highlights its dual function as memoir and blueprint, following Gephardt from childhood lessons and family conversations to leadership, public service, and private industry. Shah also notes the author's candid acknowledgment that living by the Golden Rule requires repeated commitment, particularly when challenges and disappointments make selfish reactions easier.

The review further recognizes Gephardt's exploration of the principle across religions, emphasizing kindness and empathy as broadly shared human values. Personal stories about teachers, problem-solving, communication, and accountability translate those ideas into practical guidance without reducing the book to abstract theory.

Richard Gephardt represented Missouri in the United States House of Representatives from 1977 to 2005. His congressional career included service as House Majority Leader and House Minority Leader, experiences that lend added perspective to his reflections on leadership, fairness, trust, and human connection.

Be Selfish: Live the Golden Rule invites readers to reconsider selfishness as a commitment to conduct that benefits both the individual and the wider community. Its message positions everyday decency as a durable strategy for navigating difficulty, improving relationships, and living with integrity. 

The book is available through Amazon and other leading online booksellers.

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