Human Beings are Inherently Selfish?

I believe that everyone has the ability to be selfish. Whether or not they use that ability is another thing. There are those select few that you might call selfless, but deep down inside there is a selfish part of them. I also think that society brings this out in people as it does other things within human beings. The human instinct is to survive, like an animal in the wild, we are animas also. If it came down to killing for food to survive, then the human will do whats necessary.

It's a reality. I like that statement, "in practice though not in principle". I might post that on FB even! I believe so. If some animals can be so territorial they could kill, it's not far-fetched that human beings can be inherently selfish and self-preserving. That is probably why Saints deserve the kind of reverence that they are getting because they were able to go beyond that human trait. I'm Catholic. No connection. Just saying.

I've been selfish before several times. I think it's because ultimately we strive to be happy in life. All we do goes towards being happy, satisfied and contented maybe that's why we tend to be selfish in certain situations.

I always say that human beings are greedy by nature. They are never satisfied wanting to have more for themselves. We are also selfish. I admit i am selfish especially when it comes to love. I don't want to share my lover with anybody. But with material things, i don't mind sharing them at all.

I think there is a distinction of being selfish and being a survivor. In bring selfish, people opt to be more aware of their interest rather of others and we are consciously aware of this fact - that we are selfish and we are putting a method to gain that thing that make us selfish. In being a survivor, we have the4 same 'tunnel vision' of getting ahead, however, we owe more to to gut and instinct rather than controlled manipulation. However, manipulation can also be used as means to the ends. However the two can used interchangeably, especially in times of extreme occasions. I would agree that humans can be inherently selfish, because each of us have our own motives and agendas. We are also survivors because we have the capacity to endure or fight back if necessary.

I agree that human beings r inherently selfish. I mean in general, that's true. And it seems to b even more true in today's context. In e olden days in my country, pp had this 'kampong spirit'. And because of that, they were generally very willing to share things with one another. They wld even readily help another person who was in need. But I don't see that happening at all. If we cld revert to kampong lifestyle, maybe e pp here might b less selfish.

I think that humans are born to be "survivors" we have that animal instinct to first, think about ourselves and our own safety. and since we are intelligent animals, our survival nature has evolved into something more sophisticated and we have made laws, rules, and so on. Most of the time though, we would still see that innate nature coming out when we do fight for our "rights".... =)

In some ways "selfish" is not that at all.. it's not selfish to take care of myself. It is selfish to take from others for my own comfort though! It is good to have a balance, for it is not wrong to see to my own affairs...but we must do so without trampling on others.

Dear Ms Bingskee Of course, I would say that we are all born to be selfish - and the reason being the Survival. People may have different spheres where they are or get selfish but being selfish comes naturally to humans. Many denied this view of mine. but I have a few examples or thoughts or even questions (if you can say that) - They said that the sages were not selfish - my question - they were selfish as they wanted to reach out to God - whatever be the reason - some even deserted their families and children in their pursual They said that those who gave their lives for the safety of their country are selfless - well, if they were, why did they fight for their country? I can give more examples but I think I stand clear asto why I believe all of us are selfish - just may be in a different area/sphere.

Yes to a certain extent people can be selfish. I personally can't see me killing for survival. My boyfriends mother has enough food stored to last over a year. She often calls us saying that we will be sorry as the world will become so scares that people will kill and or fight to get what they want. I would like to think we will not have this type of issue, as somehow I can't see me storing the loads that she does. When I visit her in Arkansas I look at the overwhelming amounts and can't help but notice the dates are expired.

I think not only humans are selfish but all beings are. The 2 most powerful instincts a being has are to survive and to have s.x ,so we can only be selfish there is nothing we can do to change that.

absolutely humans are born with selfish. It is quite common that everyone in the world in selfish, which is the human nature. We can say that some one are more selfish while others are less. someone cares for others more while someone cares for others less. That is called humans, in fact, who are animals in the very beginning when we appeared on the earth. so characteristics of humans have passed to the next generation.