A Common Theme - Selfishness in Society?

Douglas Coupland wrote a book that somehow deals with the "I" generation. I think the focus to self has been growing stronger sice the early to mid 90's and we do live in a "self" world but there are many out there who don't fall into this "selfish" self-centered attitude. We only need to look around and we will see that there are people who devote themselves and time to causes and who will help any way they can.

I agree with you. There is so much selfishness in the world and it leads to violence. One example is doing whatever you want to no matter who it hurts. I see that alot. When I was growing up and through my teen years and even now..I have always tried to be polite. Like if someone is waiting in line like me and they don't have much stuff I'll let them go ahead of me. But I have seen people almost knock each other down trying to get in the line first and they will have a huge cart full of stuff while the person they almost ran down had only 3 or 4 items. Fights can break out over stuff like that. Alot of wrecks are caused by someone being selfish, like a long line of cars are behind you and you're just sitting there anyway and someone is sitting to your right needing to get in and you won't let them in, and sometimes the person who wants in goes ahead and pulls out as far as they can and you get right up on them like you're going to hit them...that is selfishness. I mean what's the big deal? you're just sitting there waitng anyway. It makes me feel good to let someone in, give them a break. but wrecks often happen because of stuff like that.

I agree with you..we are a society that is moving into a me, me, me generation..I have had people close to me even say "look out for number one" Well Number one for me is God..and number two is his people..number three is me! It is media, society and other influences that is forming people into just me people...no room for anyone else but me.. What would the world be like, however, with just me????+

Right now I have two adult kids who I'm constantly fighting with over the computer, I just told my 20 year old to go out and get his own. Call that selfish I don't know!

I posted a wonderful long answer to this and lost it through the annoying software filter thing... GGggrrrrr I'll come back later perhaps. GGGrrrrr

I highly recommend you read Ayn Rand's book 'Atlas Shrugged'. It will give you a whole new outlook on what is selfish and what is not. The book can be summed up with the creed of John Galt, the main character in the book. "I swear-by my life and my love of it-that I will never live for the sake of another man nor ask another man to live for mine." If we all followed this path there would be far fewer problems in this world.

yes i do agree with you that our society is getting more and more selfish compare to in the past... obvious example like in my country, people don't really want to care more about other people's business even though we are neighbours... let alone that, we even hardly greet talk or greet each other even though we live next to each other... i think it is because our world is getting more and more modernised now and the competition to survive in this world is increasing... that's why people is getting more and more selfish...

Capitalist society is money centred. A person has to earn maximum money in the shortest possible time. The society will not bother how you earned. It will bother how much you earned. Even if you are a great intellectual on par with Einstein or Madam Curie, it matters little. You have to convert everything into moolah. Whoever has lucre rules the world. Not the one with the longest mustaches. Marxism, we have to try afresh with suitable modifications, for removing the "MONEY" altogether and the inherited private property. Thirst money should go somehow.

yes selfishness is what society has in it alot.....i dont say it is bad really...becuase if you are not selfish you cant live in tis world.....you got tothink about yourself or you will die...can you imagine you being not ay all selfish...what will happen you will donate all your property to the poor...no way i am a bit sefish person and that is very necessary to keep me alive

Yes it does seem this way with today's society, and it certainly does bring crime into our society you are right about that, well I know that were I used to live in housing department run by our government and there were lots of people that had jobs, money and cars of there own while there are others that have nothing no where to live it is not right and it is very selfish of these people not caring about the other people suffering and not caring about others, where are they supposed to live on the street, to me this is selfishness as the other people can certainly afford to live outside of the government help and housing.

I agree, and I too find it really sad. I don't understand how hard it is to take the time to try to see things from someone else's point of view. I am constantly doing this. I can't seem to help it. We all as human beings should be more sensitive to other people's feelings. I guess that it is because I am a very sensitive soul myself that I can't help but want to look out for other's feelings and not tread on them. It is so hard for me to watch someone else be in pain. I would so much rather see people around me happy. That is one of the greatest joys in life for me. I wish that more people out there felt like I do. It would be a happier world, methinks, if they did. ^_^ And by the way, I know that I am no saint *laugh* I have many, many faults. I just think that humankind as a whole should think more about the people around them. ^_^

being selfish is not wrong , but u must be awre of others too..... u shud not harm others by being selfcentric... today its very hard to find aperson who doesnt thnk of him ....

try asking on yahoo answer coz here people only give fake infos for money

Well sarahbeth not everyone is alike. There are many people out there who think of others before they think of themselves. But you have to understand, that usually the people that are being thought of are ungrateful. When you have this ungratefullness happening more then once to the same person, that person becomes enclosed in his or her own world. Losses the sense of hope. People are tired of giving and not receiving. You should think of yourself first. If you are not stable yourself how are you going to help others. Road rage can be caused by anything. A person driving the speed limit can be the cause of the road rage just because you have some where to be and you are late. People have to look at themselves first. good topic

A large part of this perception is do to the advertizing, sells culture financing the mass media. Get away from it and real people can be found.