Selfishness: Human and Selfish

It is important for this essay that the definition used for selfishness and for cowardice is clear. Selfishness is the feature of doing that which brings you welfare, luck or even pleasure. This is not the same as taking care of yourself, as selfishness includes others who are a victim of your deeds. Someone who is selfish doesn’t act to others’ feelings or needs.

In a way being selfish is what got humans where they are today.The evolution of humans required competition,and aggressive selfishness. We were forced to be selfish and watch our own back, to always put ourselves first in bad situations. This reaction to put ourselves first is natural, it’s in our blood. However, is the very thing that made us so successful as a species the one thing that so easily tears us apart? As humans we have an incredible capacity to dehumanize others to protect our own self interest.

Philosophers have debated for centuries the question “Are humans are selfish or selfless?” There are two main arguments for debating human nature, ethical egoists and ethical altruists. Ethical egoists believe that “even though we can act in others’ interests because we are concerned for others, we ought always to act in our own interest” (Solomon et al 2012 p. 460). Ethical altruists believe quite the opposite; ethical altruism is the belief that “people ought to act with each other’s interests in mind” (Solomon et al 2012 p. 461). In discussing the four theories, psychological egoism, psychological altruism, ethical egoism, and ethical altruism, with my husband, there was not a clear dividing line for whether humans are selfish or selfless in nature. After much debate, we concluded that humans are born ethical egoists; however, ethical altruists are made through proper training, care, and nurture.

Selfishness is being concerned for oneself or one’s advantage and welfare regardless of others. Selfness is demonstrated when a person leaves and does not tell anyone where they are going. In Into the Wild Jon Krakauer tells the story of Chris McCandless’s selfish quest for “ultimate Freedom”. Chris is selfish because he takes his privileged life for granted. Then, Chris decides to leave and he totally ignores and blocks out his family. Finally Chris builds relationships with people, then leaves when they are no longer needed. Chris taking his life for granted, his ignorance and the fact that he is an absentee is why Chris McCandless’s quest for “ultimate freedom” is selfish.

Selfishness is a disease of the soul that every person experiences several times throughout their life. To say that selfishness has never been experienced would be hypocrisy. To say that selfishness is a beneficial trait would be erroneous. Although as humans we lie to ourselves, there is no question that selfishness can make any person a fool. Being selfish consumes us and changes us into someone we are not. Whether it leads to getting people killed, losing love, or abolishing families, selfishness always leads to destruction.

Selfishness is the inability to be caring, show consideration for others, as well as be decent towards others. People who are selfish think very little of others, and focus more on themselves and their own needs. In Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild, he shows how Chris McCandless is a selfish person, who only cares about himself. Chris demonstrates his selfishness by the way he treats his parents, such as when they try to reach out to him, but chooses to ignore them. He also thinks of only himself by the way he treats and ignores authority and the government. Chris acts selfishly in the way he treats poorly anybody who has ever showed him compassion towards him, such as him asking for the mail to be returned to the sender, showing no interest in

2b. To be selfish is to do anything to benefit themselves in any way. To be greedy is to do anything in order to accumulate more wealth.

According to Google Dictionary, selfishness is the quality or condition of being selfish. Selfishness is not always a bad thing but in the case of The Scarlet Ibis the main character Brother’s selfishness is clearly has a negative effect on himself and those he loves.Throughout the story, Brother allows his selfishness to overpower his decisions as he begins to intentionally hurt his younger brother emotionally as well as mentally and he soon stops caring about his feelings all together. In the story, The Scarlet Ibis by James Hurst, the theme one's own selfishness can end up pushing away and hurting those close to them is revealed through symbolism.

Egoism and Altruism . Psychological egoism claims that whatever we do, we do out of self-interest. Give an example of an act you think is not done out of self-interest, and explain how the psychological egoist might try to interpret that act as selfish.

Throughout the book, Chris McCandless demonstrated qualities of a self absorbed, selfish person. From the way he thinks about himself as higher than the law, to the way he shows no empathy, compassion or care towards others feelings, we can immediately tell he is egotistical. Chris McCandless shows us how inherently selfish he is from the way he thinks of himself as above the law, the way he is capable of leaving friends and family with no regrets without batting an eye, and the way he uses everyone he meets along his journey before leaving them without appreciation. Being an inherently selfish individual by definition is a person who has no consideration for others around them, and does what they do purely for either personal profit

Stephen Kendrick once said, “Almost every sinful action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive. It is the trait we hate in other people but justify in ourselves.” The nature of human selfishness comes in various forms, distinctly different in the eyes of an individual but with similar mindsets. To put differently, there are many definitions defining selfishness, but under the surface, everyone has similar, selfless intentions.

People are born into this world crying and wanting only for themselves. As children, humans retain the same selfishness. Without regard for the others around them, they throw tantrums and fight until they obtain the object of their desire. This behaviour was essential for survival when humans were at their most primitive state, left to fend for themselves against the hostile world and each other. But as humans have united together, communities have been created where selfishness is not needed; due to the generosity and kindness that is valued by the community's members. Although humans have put value of kindness and generosity well above selfishness, it has not combatted the “default-setting”, mentioned in This is Water by David Foster Wallace.

Selfishness is defined as the stinginess resulting from a concern of your own welfare and the disregard of others. Selfishness, once passing a certain level, is seen as a character flaw by many people. Where does selfishness come from? Is it a trait in which as humans we pick up over time, or is it an animalistic trait in which we are born with and have no control over? Author Mark Sundeen tells us the story of Daniel Suelo, in the book The Man Who Quit Money. Daniel Suelo was a mid-aged man, who decided to drop everything and live on his own without the use of money; he would no longer live the typical American lifestyle and survive strictly on the kindness of others and the leftovers he could find in dumpsters.

Selfish is defined as looking after one’s own desires, concerned with your own interests, needs and wishes while ignoring those of others (Encarta Dictionary).

Most of us assume that some selfishness is healthy, but "too much" selfishness will lead to loneliness and despair. This idea rests on an incorrect definition of selfishness. Selfishness means acting in one's rational self-interest. By " rational" I mean that one can logically prove that an action is in one's self-interest—in the long run as well as the short run.