Selfishness consists of acting according to one's own convenience and without thinking about the interests and needs of others.
The term selfishness refers to the excessive and immoderate love that a person feels about himself and that makes him pay excessive attention to his own interest. Therefore, the egoist is not interested in the well-being of others and governs his actions according to his absolute convenience .
The concept comes from the ego which is, according to psychology , the psychic instance through which an individual becomes aware of his or her own identity and recognizes himself as self . The ego is that which mediates between the reality of the physical world, the impulses of the subject and their ideals.
Egoism, therefore, is a concept opposite to altruism . The latter speaks of sacrificing one's own well-being (or at least downplaying it) for the benefit of others; that is, seeking the good of others before one's own.
Types of selfishness
There are different types of selfishness. Psychological egoism is a theory that human behavior is driven by self-interested motivations. Ethical egoism considers that people help others but always in search of a subsequent benefit (help represents a means to obtain something beneficial). Rational egoism , on the other hand, points out that the pursuit of one's own interest is the result of the use of reason.
From these distinctions it follows that, depending on the perspective from which selfishness is viewed, it can be understood as a one hundred percent negative attitude, representative of the absolute lack of concern for the well-being of others, or also as a way of seeking the own and to be respected. The range of possibilities that this represents surely faces the disagreement of many people, given that selfishness is one of the greatest enemies of normality ; or at least that's what they try to convey.
Those who only want to increase their wealth beyond the consequences of their actions behave selfishly.
Different views
Society tries to turn each and every one of its members into normal beings ; For this, there is a series of rules, obligations and prohibitions, which must be strictly followed to ensure the prosperity of the group . This line of behavior revolves around giving one's life to others; It begins by raising our children, and ends by taking care of our own parents, when they grow old and lose their autonomy.
To achieve these objectives, it is important to train in a profession, so that it is possible to support oneself financially, and then have a sufficiently solid base on which to support descendants and parents. Selfishness, understood from this point of view, consists of neglecting any of these social mandates in pursuit of authentic happiness , or even one's own integrity.
Selfishness in the family
There is a widespread idea that not doing what others expect of us is a form of selfishness, and this is used as a weapon of manipulation . Once childhood is over, we become servants to our parents, as they expect us to repay them for years of supposedly selfless devotion . When we begin to find our own path, we are condemned, reproached, and labeled as inconsiderate and ungrateful.
The altruism of our parents consists of a long-term investment ; They give us everything, hoping that one day we will do it for them, thus ensuring their future. Is someone selfish who does not admit psychological abuse of his person, someone who refuses to put aside his happiness for that of his neighbor? And, in the same way, is someone who does good expecting something in return in a hidden way altruistic? The true definition of these terms hides the secret that no one wants us to know, since it opens the doors to an authentic path, of true free will , and very few dare to travel it.