Selfishness

Nobody is for nobody in this world.World is full of selfish. One's mistake one won't realise quickly one's selfishness too.Only history is replete with selfless. Selfishness and selfless are two faces of human being. One is liked and another is disliked by the world at large. Without relinquishing selfishness no one can become a great person.It Isn't easy at all too. A few only become great . In this world, there's dearth of selfless. It is easy decide to be selfless but to remain selfless isn't that easy. Unless ,one ceases to think about them, they cannot become selfless. Until one feels that they are selfish and make a resolve to get rid of their selfishness, of it's own it won't go. If one forgets "I "there won't be selfish. Selfishness would disappear. It would be nowhere.The selfishness does not allow one either to have any values or to follow any values.

Many a time if at all a man is totally ignorant of anything, it is that he is selfish. Selfish people never think of society or country. They only think of themselves. Human selfishness has no bounds. Selfishness has got rather a tendency to expand from one sphere to another sphere in life than to contract or decline. A question that often haunts our mind is " Who is not selfish in this world ? " Different answers crop up in response to this question. We find that even animals to be selfish. In this connection,we remember suddenly a monkey that was stuck up in a flood with its siblings which ultimately stands on its sibling to save itself from being drowned. Life is a business to selfish people .

Selfishness could not be hidden inside for a longtime by anybody. Often it would come to forefront especially when one is in difficulties. It has been criticized as a vice and celebrated as a virtue by different cultures and thinkers. No one is selfish by birth. It's often circumstances, ego and other factors that drive one to selfishness. One's selfishness would be known to others sometimes immediately.Sometimes It takes time to know it.

Selfishness is a psychic disease.It is the greatest disease of mankind. It is a malignant cancer. It is a defect. It is a shortcoming. It's a quality which is often glaring and found in one's behavior. It's a developed quality. It came into being at the beginning of human history. It is an individual quality. It cannot be measured. It is a quality which affects relationship between one and another. It's an undesirable quality. It is a quality which is often compared between one another. Selfishness in one collides with selfishness in another. Often comparison enables one to know who is more selfish and who is less selfish. Selfishness retards spiritual progress. Many claim in this world that they are not selfish and they are magnanimous. But,in real life majority of them are found to be selfish at one time or other.If one is selfish in one respect,they are normally selfish in other respects too. After subjecting one to test only, we can make out or come to a conclusion whether they are selfish or not.

More one thinks about others less selfish they would be. More one mingles in a society less selfish they would be too.Whereas, whoever who is more in the company of people who are selfish, more selfish they would be for birds of same feather fly together. If at all one prospers on account of being selfish, it is only temporarily. One rarely prospers due to their being selfish. Selfishness turns one blind even though they have powerful eyes and vision. It makes them blind to others difficulties. It makes them inhuman too.It does not allow one to be fair at all. In fact, it would make one so blind that they visualize their benefit only.They would never either visualize or bother to know how their action affects others. It is selfishness that would make often one stoop to any level.

Selfishness is the breeding ground for all kinds of evil.Along with selfishness many inferior qualities develop in an individual. One must be self reliant in their life and not selfish. Selfishness makes one narrow minded. It doesn't allow great qualities to develop in one at all. It needs to be cut down to its size or to be controlled. It has no given size . It does not stay as it is. It is elastic. It should never be allowed to dominate one. It shouldn't be allowed either to find a place. It should occupy only a secondary place at any time.

"Selfishness" means to act by the principle by which our actions are directed to benefit us, to make us happy. We find that majority of people in this world are selfish in one or another way.Their contention is that if they do not think about themselves who would think about them. Selfishness could be noticed in all sorts of people. It is epidemic. We find it not only among rich and educated but also we find it among poor and uneducated people also. Everybody has one or another reason to be selfish. Further, majority of people believe that selfishness is essential not only for their welfare and development but also believe that it is essential for the welfare and development of their kith and kin too.Many selfish people do not think that they are selfish at all. Some of the selfish people don't understand how much selfish they are.Selfishness in them exceeds everything. Selfish generally don't have either consideration or feelings. Selfish means devoted to caring only for oneself ; concerned primarily with one's own interests , benefits, welfare, etc., regardless of others. It is loving self. A selfish person can be recognized by their deeds and actions. One must be always cautious at others selfishness . They may not hesitate to do anything.

Here are 5 characteristic's of selfish people.

1.All selfish people display a very uncaring attitude and a strong "Me first" trait.

2 Another trait which selfish and conceited people show is being manipulative, schemer and plotting most of the times.

3. Another conspicuous trait which all selfish and conceited people display is of being calculative and accumulators.

4 Low self esteem is another characteristic displayed by selfish people that gives them a negative outlook towards life and making them contemptuous of others in general.

5. A selfish person is highly self centered and self obsessed .

We term others as selfish but in reality we are unaware that we ourselves are selfish in one or another way. Majority of people now a days get either angry or feel insulted if they are branded as selfish. Many have dual faces too. They pose as unselfish as well as selfish. Appearances are deceptive. We find that hardly a few people who are really not selfish now a day. Selfish do not share not only, what they have with others but also they want to have all that is there. They do not have sharing habit at all. Selfishness is always not alike.There are various kinds of selfishness in the world. We find that quantum of selfishness varies from person to person. Some are more selfish and some are less selfish.

Overcoming selfishness is not at all an easy task. It is a very difficult task. In fact, it is as good as a sacrifice. One who is not selfish is considered as a great man now-a-days. Selfishness is an hurdle which often does not allow one to do something good. It makes one blind to reality. It does not allow people either to tell anything good to others or to do anything good to others. Those who are not selfish are considered as saints too. As a result even when somebody does something just to help us without any motive behind we suspect them too. Some are so selfish that they are bothered about themselves only and are not at all worried about others. Self is more important than anything else to them. Selfishness does not add to one.'s standing in society. In fact, one becomes small in others eyes because of selfishness only.

Desire and selfishness go hand in glove. Selfishness is the route cause of any corruption. One who gives bribe is corrupt and who accepts bribe is also corrupt. Nobody generally likes to be selfish too. Yet, knowingly or unknowingly they become selfish. They offer one or another excuse for their being selfish. As one grows and as desires grow selfishness develops in them. Sometimes,it is insecurity in life that makes one selfish. Selfishness moves away a person from honesty and sincerity. If one has conscious, they should be ashamed of being selfish when they come across people who are magnanimous and who without knowing them and without expecting anything in return from them render help. Those who are benevolent or who have helping nature are not at all selfish. Likewise, people with a few desires are less selfish. Similarly, those who have sacrificing nature are either less selfish or not selfish at all.

A person generally does not like to be labelled as selfish. He does not want to disclose that he is selfish. Most of the time selfishness is hidden within him. Selfish come forward to help others only when they are going to be benefited. Selfish often turn out to be hypocrites. If somebody assists us with selfish motive, it is not a help. Selfishness and pettiness are two faces of a same coin. One's selfishness is often more a nuisance than helpful to others. There should be always a limit to one's selfishness. If selfishness is not controlled, it goes on increasing day by day and there would be no end to it . It is by and large mean too. Selfish many times become manner less and shameless. Selfish are normally arrogant and egoistical .Selfishness leads to overeating , greediness ,and jealousy. Many times it is odd or awkward to look at even. It is ugly.Whenever one comes across people who are too selfish, they wonder whether there are people of their kind are there in the world. They are looked upon with scorn. They cannot have principles. Nobody can either depend or rely upon them. They are untrustworthy. They are turncoats. When others are in dire straits, it is they who try to benefit themselves.

When there is no other go , as a matter of last resort if anyone becomes selfish it is pardonable. That is when selfishness is essential to survival ,and without survival they cannot protect those whom they love more than themselves. If one's selfishness is reasonable and understandable and if it does not harm anybody, nobody minds it. If somebody is selfish for a good cause, there is nothing wrong in it also.The selfishness of the good people will always end up in achievements and great things, whereas the bad people’s selfishness will end up in disasters. If one is poor and is selfish , it is understandable .

Selfishness does not allow any good qualities to develop in an individual. When one is selfish, other cannot remain unselfish for a long time too. That is why it is quite necessary to banish selfishness. However, it is not easy to overcome selfishness. We can change a selfish person to a selfless person by bringing about a change in thinking of former. When a selfish realizes their selfishness and selfishness is bad,there is every possibility of selfish person becoming selfless person. Company of selfless people banishes selfishness from selfish. Selfishness itself does not run away from a person of its own.Determination and efforts are necessary to banish it. If one begins to give in charity and donations selfishness gradually disappears from them . Normally incidents in life bring about such a change in mindset of selfish. When one thinks of others more and are in different environment they overcome selfishness or they would be less selfish. A selfish must be made to understand how much the society is responsible for their welfare how much they are indebted to it. Time to time introspection certainly brings down selfishness in a man.

Selflessness is to be practiced. Selflessness needs efforts. Selfless people are rare. Selfless people command respect. Selfless people are remembered. Selfless people take joy in serving others. Life of great people reveals how much selfless they were. Selflessness is a great quality. It is always rewarded. In this context, I remember a short tale which I read during my primary education. It is about a woodcutter. He was very hard working. He was cutting a tree in a forest. He was thirsty. He went to a nearby lake to quench his thirst. While doing so his axe fell into lake. He did not know what to do. He prayed God. God responded to his call. Came up with three axes, one was made up of silver, and another made up of gold and the third one made up of iron. Woodcutter was unselfish; he chose only the iron one as his. God was very much pleased and gave him all the three. We need not be saint to acquire this quality.

In the ordinary course of life, selflessness could be developed. It is better if we develop it right from our childhood. More we develop good qualities, more we become broad minded, less selfish we would be. This quality has to be developed right from our childhood. It is the duty of parents, teachers, and guardians of a child to imbibe good qualities in it. First of all, we should shed selfishness. A child always observes the behavior of people around it and imitates them. It is innocence personified. It does not know what is good and what is bad. If selfishness develops in a child, it is on account of people around it. If we think more about others and less about ourselves we would be definitely less selfish. If we develop the quality of sharing with others whatever we have rather than keeping it for ourselves we could get rid of selfishness.

It is thoughts that make one selfish or selfless. We came alone to this world. We go alone from this world. Who is there for whom in this world. These thoughts lead one to selfishness. It leads to detachment. It is thinking about ourselves only.It is negative thinking only. It leads to desperation. Think that everybody is for you. and you are for everybody. One for all and all for one. We come together, live together and die together. Everybody loves us and we love everybody. This leads to attachment. It is positive thinking. It is such thoughts that lead to selflessness.

Selfishness and affection makes us blind to good qualities in others. If we refer to great epic Mahabharata, Dhrutharastra was selfish; he wanted his sons to ascend the throne of Hastinavathi and not Pandavas his brother’s sons who were rightful heirs. Dhrutharastra was blind to good qualities in them. Similarly Kaikayee was selfish and was blind to good qualities in Sri Rama in great epic Ramayana and for the sake of throne to her son Bharatha. She got exiled Sri Rama into forest for fourteen years. In Shakespearean play “Hamlet” Hamlet’s uncle and mother conspired to murder his father for the sake of throne. How much selfish and mean they were?

Those who are selfish either do not know other’s difficulties or bother about other’s difficulties. They do not think about others at all. They always think about themselves and their children. A selfish person’s world is different and it consists of his wife, his children, and him and does not go beyond it. Such a person thinks only about their comforts, well being, and wants. He does not share with others anything at all. He amasses wealth for his family only. Generally selfish persons are not liked by society. Some become so selfish that they do not think even about their own children, and wife. They are concerned about themselves only. They do not adopt give and take policy.

Selfishness is a transparent . Behavior of selfish itself indicates that they are selfish. They do not have habit of sharing anything with others. They have food in front of others without inviting others to join them. Some selfish people do not have friends at all. To some the proverb, “Birds of same feather fly together” applies. Thus in selfishness there is extremities. Human nature is thus unpredictable. More we are selfish more we are disliked by society and become more unpopular we would be and more we are unselfish more we are liked and more popular we would become. Selfishness gives one only temporarily contentment. Selfish are usually disgruntled. They remain unhappy. Selfish people are even prepared to sin to fulfill their goal. They forget all the ethics. It is those people who stab others in the back in pursuit of their selfish motives.

Selfishness drifts us away from society. If something happens to selfish people, they evoke no sympathy. People generally feel that they deserve punishment for their selfish nature and would be left alone to suffer alone. Selfish people want everything to happen according to their whims and fancies and to their advantage. They do not share or care for others opinion. Selfish people do not realize how bad selfishness is. Some people are not only selfish but also are cunning too. They try to make use of others weakness, vulnerability to their advantage. They do not have any love or affection lost to others. They shed only crocodile tears. They pose as if they want to help person in difficulties. But the ulterior motive of selfish person would be always something else which would to their advantage only. Selfish fellow may be having invalid children. He would volunteer to help an intelligent poor person for education,food and shelter. Thus, he would cleverly bring him under his obligation and make him tie knot to his daughter. This is only an illustration. There are numerous such instances.

A lawyer was there at Shimoga. He was very selfish and cunning. If somebody was in financial difficulties, he would immediately venture to finance that person with the sole intention of devouring the property of that particular person at throw away price by striking a deal in such a way. Life is not permanent for such a person. One day he passed away. He had two sons one mentally retarded and another perverted intelligent and other children were female. The children of lawyer quarreled among themselves and the properties acquired by crooked means by that lawyer went to a trust. If we help others, others help us. Selfish persons know receiving only. Hence, it is foolish to help selfish persons.

Character of Bhishma, in Mahabharata, depicts unselfishness. He remained bachelor through out his life for the sake of his father. Similarly Karna even when he came to know that he was the eldest of Pandavas never parted ways with Kauravas instead he fought the war for them and laid down his life. What a sacrifice and unselfishness. There are numerous such instances in history as well as in epics where one lays down life for the sake another, for the sake of country etc or does some sacrifice for sake of the country, or others. Some are well known for their omen service to humanity. Generally, great warriors and patriots are selfless. They become great on account of their deeds and not on account of treasure they leave behind. Further, all such great deeds are worth emulating. Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mother Teresa, Gautam Buddha, Swamy Vivekananda, Nelson Mandela, great scientists etc. belong to such tribe. We must read the life of great people, read and explain it to children and uneducated also. Even if we listen or hear about great people definitely gradually selfishness disappears from us.

Selfishness is generally not a solution to any of our problems.It is a problem itself. On the contrary, it may create or aggravate our other problem or problems also . We would always be remembered for our unselfish acts and even if we are not remembered we would have at least self satisfaction of being of some service to others. If somebody is selfish for a good cause, there is nothing wrong in it. A girl from a respectable family was married to a person in Bombay. Some parents in India when their daughter attains puberty want to marry them at the earliest. As such, hurriedly without many inquiries they get their daughter married. Sometimes everything goes on well. Whereas sometimes they had to repent for hurry bury In this case, by the time when the girl came to know that the person whom she had married was a pimp .It was too late, she was pregnant. Even then, she returned to her parents and gave birth to a child. Her sister who had no issues adopted that child happily. Thereafter she took up a job and graduated herself too. In the meanwhile in an air crash a person became widower. He wanted a life partner and this lady also. They are now happily married and have two children. Though, selfishness was there initially it was for their mutual benefit. Similarly, at Bombay husband of a young lady with a kid who was working for Syndicate Bank committed suicide. She thought that there was no life for her. Fortunately for that young lady, a well-positioned young person with a son became widower. Both of them were selfish and had a wedlock. To day they are living happily and their son has become an engineer. Selfishness should be only there wherever it is really essential. We have to live life for us as well as we have to live life for others too. "Live and let live" must be motto of our life.