There's different kinds of selfishness. Egoism can be a descriptive or a normative position. Selfishness Like any other sort of human vice, selfishness -- or the excessive concern with one's own individual desires and appetites -- can be threatening to the established social order if it slips out of control. Rational selfishness is a more individualistic form of enlightened self-interest. It is a term generally related to Ayn Rand 's Objectivist philosophy , which refers to a person's efforts to look after their own well-being, to cultivate the self, and achieve goals for the good of the self. Love for oneself or self-love according to Aristotle Through this chapter of Aristotle’s extensive work, the philosopher deductively breaks down what he thinks a virtuous man must be like. This kind of selfishness causes someone to step on dead soldiers to reach a reward.

Part of having and keeping a healthy successful relationship is being able to recognize the problem before it gets out of hand and creates irreparable damage. Normative forms of egoism make claims about what one ought to do, rather than describe what one does do. But selfishness is thinking about yourself in the absence of the larger picture - other people. Words: 580 Length: 2 Pages Document Type: Essay Paper #: 43981280. Nothing hurts a partner more than lack of personal concern, care and love from their counterpart. We must take care of ourselves first in order to give our best selves to others. There's the kind that starts unnecessary wars to make a profit. Psychological egoism, the most famous descriptive position, claims that each person has but one ultimate aim: her own welfare. Different Conceptions of Selfishness Many religions decry selfishness and emphasize the virtues of compassion, empathy, and self-sacrifice. Continued Diagnosis. Selfishness in the sense of well-being and intentional self growth; not power, money, materialism, etc. Yes. So if you are doing something that does not hurt anyone, but benefits you, that is not selfishness. In this work, the author focuses on the comparison between the love for oneself or self-love and selfishness. To make a difference in our own lives and the lives around us, in something much larger than ourselves. Some say selfishness is not bad. There are no lab tests to confirm a mental disorder. Many people in relationships do not realize until after they break up, that the root of their problems stem from selfishness.