“Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live. And unselfishness is letting other people’s lives alone, not interfering with them. Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type. Unselfishness recognises infinite variety of type as a delightful thing, accepts it, acquiesces in it, enjoys it. It is not selfish to think for oneself. A man who does not think for himself does not think at all. It is grossly selfish to require of one’s neighbour that he should think in the same way, and hold the same opinions. Why should he? If he can think, he will probably think differently. If he cannot think, it is monstrous to require thought of any kind from him. A red rose is not selfish because it wants to be a red rose. It would be horribly selfish if it wanted all the other flowers in the garden to be both red and roses.” —Oscar Wilde
Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type… I always knew there was a reason that I never liked or trusted anyone who habitually chastises others for being selfish, simply because they don’t live the way that they’re ‘supposed to.’ More often than not I’ve found that accusations of selfishness are nothing more than a specious form of projection.
Actually, selfishness is thinking solely about yourself without a thought as to how your actions affect others. It takes a brave man to criticize in this harshly anti-critical world. You must find the true hypocrite and show him himself.
The Rolling Cat over 10 years ago
“Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live. And unselfishness is letting other people’s lives alone, not interfering with them. Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type. Unselfishness recognises infinite variety of type as a delightful thing, accepts it, acquiesces in it, enjoys it. It is not selfish to think for oneself. A man who does not think for himself does not think at all. It is grossly selfish to require of one’s neighbour that he should think in the same way, and hold the same opinions. Why should he? If he can think, he will probably think differently. If he cannot think, it is monstrous to require thought of any kind from him. A red rose is not selfish because it wants to be a red rose. It would be horribly selfish if it wanted all the other flowers in the garden to be both red and roses.” —Oscar Wilde
Selfishness always aims at creating around it an absolute uniformity of type… I always knew there was a reason that I never liked or trusted anyone who habitually chastises others for being selfish, simply because they don’t live the way that they’re ‘supposed to.’ More often than not I’ve found that accusations of selfishness are nothing more than a specious form of projection.
Tripwad over 10 years ago
Beautiful post, Cor Blymie!
Pablo360 over 10 years ago
Actually, selfishness is thinking solely about yourself without a thought as to how your actions affect others. It takes a brave man to criticize in this harshly anti-critical world. You must find the true hypocrite and show him himself.