Are we all really just selfish?

Everyone is not selfish everytimes. A mother who nurtures the child right from the birth till he becomes self-sufficient is not selfish in any way. A father who strives day and night to give all the goodness of life to his children is in no way selfish. A brother/sister who hides a piece of chocolate he has got to give it to his/her brother/sister is in no way selfish. A friend who lends an ear to listen to all the secrets of his/her friend is in no way selfish. Of course, if he is not a true friend its a different thing. The list is so long that it may take very long to summarise. Now, let me ask you, have we not fallen in any of this category in our life..... You see, we are not as selfish as we think we are. The good things are quite rarely accepted.

Touch! You have touched a very important issue. I love to read and reply this kind of subjective issues. Question to your answer can be both in affirmative and negative. You can say people are selfish (most of them, when you see their motives and (ill) intentions. Sometimes, we help others without any self interest...and in our heart of our heart we know it...but it depends on the other fellow also...how does he thinks...does he sees our help as self-less or selfish...I think the other fellow should really be a positive person and should have a large heart to view that some friends do exist ...who help others without any self-interest. For example...you have started this discussion and if you consider that you started it for your self motive...then I can also say...or you can also view my reply to your discussion in my self-interest..because here we get some cents to post a reply. But again the question is ...how seriously or sincerely I am trying to reply to your discussion....Hopefully you are getting what I wish to convey. (if you are thinking in negative terms than each one of us is selfish...and if you are thinking in positive terms...then no one is selfish) deepak

When you do a thing considering as your duty you won't feel any selfish element in it.On the other side when you think that it woudn't have happened without you u crave for something whether it is financial,fame ,respect or anything.As per the versions of wise persons the subtle thought of yourself in your acts amount to pride and selfishness.I think its quite difficult for any person to attain that position and it can be attained by constant practice

This discussion could lead into semantics pretty quick, if one's not careful. On some level just about everything you do is personal gain, but that's a very base level that most people (I hope) are not operating on. Granted you need things, everyone does. I need a place to live, and food to eat and a car to drive so I go to work to make money. Is that being selfish or is it self-preservation? We need companionship so we have family, which we usually don't get to pick. :) Parents I would think are often unselfish when it comes to their children. Sure the argument here is that parents want the family line to continue..yada yada..I don't buy into that. You give blood. Good for you. How is that being selfish. I give blood also, and it makes me feel good. Again how am I being selfish? I have a rare blood type, my blood has probably saved someones life. Several actually, again... how is that selfish? I don't have to give blood, nor to do you. It makes us feel good, but it feels good because it's the right thing to do. Saving someone's life (in most cases) is a good thing. Minnie Mouse is HOT! filmbuff

I don't agree that everyone is selfish. Well there are people who are selfish, but not every one. I believe generally people would like to be good. It is just because of some dire need that they become selfish. Human nature is that we are guided by our own interests. I am not against anyone who promotes his own interests. What I will not like is self promotion at the cost of others, exploitation, treachery, lies, meanness, rude behavior, lack of humanity etc.

Dear touchshine, frankly speaking its the necessity to be selfish in todays world because if you dont care for your interests nobody cares. I mean to say that you have to be a bit selfish on some things, but yes there are some things i which you shouldn't be. Selfishnesss should not be in your blood and if it you cant do anything about it. I feel there is something within us, a human behaviour you may say, which asks us to put ourselfs above anything else in this world and this infact is what has roots of selfishness. But yes i would term as the right to earn goods for ourselfs are selfishness, it just making things better for us. Now you donated blood, so u think you are not selfish, but if suppose you tommorrow go for an interview then would you step back for a candidate who is in need of job? Now if you dont can i say that you are selfish?

I like to give for charity. But I strongly believe that what we give comes back to us two or three fold. So it could be selfishness that makes me give for charity. Also we can interpret that we are getting a satisfaction out of what we do and therefore ultimately we end up being the beneficiary of our actions.

You see, the word 'Selfish' is derived from 'Self' and everybody around us is a self. Whatever we do, we do those ourselves and the results of those deeds must come to us as a sure cycle of deeds (karma). Selfish work is that, what is done for self only without looking the benefits / comforts of the other person. It has been said that self help is the best help and God help them, who help themselves. So doing something for self benefit is never called a selfish work. Rather, while doing the work, if the benefits of any other person is spoiled, then it is certainly a case of selfish work. In my view, first self and then the bigger-self (society) but in harmony. Thanks to you from myself.

We are not selfish but time makes us selfish.... now every body is carrier oriented and reach to our ambition some time we need to be selfish... and some times people aslo does the same with us.... so all those experience make us selfish....

it's just the same philosophy which i find to be true in the real life. but when i think of a mother's love for her children i get a bit confused:) can it be that a mother loves her children only for her sake and her own pleasure? otherwise i believe we are actually just selfish:)

You are right upto a certain point.Actually when a person does anything he thinks that he will get the benefit.Everybody does anything for something in return.Actually there are very few people in the world who will do something completely selflessly.Actually in a sense you are right but i think selfishness which can benefit peplle is good.

Hi, I think we all are selfish people. Because, 1 percent of the people in the world will give money to the needy, if he have that much only and he needs. I always see the people who are needy. I will offer them some money, if I have. If I have money, i will give them. If I dont, then I cant. But nobody will give them money by lending from others. Little selfishness appears everywhere i everybody. My husband wants to donate blood, he knows the procedure that no harm will take place while giving blood. But he refuses me to donate blood. That is what a little selfishness. He can give, but he doesnt wants his wife/lover should not do that. Where there is a love, there is a little bit selfishness...