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Egoism Quotes

Browse 304 quotes about Egoism.

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Egoism Quotes

“Do not make the mistake of the ignorant who think that an individualist is a man who says: “I’ll do as I please at everybody else’s expense.” An individualist is a man who recognizes the inalienable individual rights of man—his own and those of others.”

ThinkingMenIndividualMistakeRightsPleaseRespectHuman RightsIgnorantExpensesIndividualismMistakenRecognizingRespecting OthersEgoismIndividual RightsIgnorant People
Book:The Ayn Rand Lexicon: Objectivism from A to Z
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“I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his creatures, or has a will of the type of which we are conscious in ourselves. An individual who should survive his physical death is also beyond my comprehension, nor do I wish it otherwise; such notions are for the fears or absurd egoism of feeble souls.”

ShouldSoulIndividualWishAtheismTypeCreaturesConsciousRewardsNotionAtheistAbsurdComprehensionEgoism
Book:The World As I See It
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“I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his creatures, or has a will of the kind that we experience in ourselves. Neither can I nor would I want to conceive of an individual that survives his physical death; let feeble souls, from fear or absurd egoism, cherish such thoughts. I am satisfied with the mystery of the eternity of life and with the awareness and a glimpse of the marvelous structure of the existing world, together with the devoted striving to comprehend a portion, be it ever so tiny, of the Reason that manifests itself in nature.”

WorldWantKindSoulReasonGodTogetherIndividualReligiousMysteryAtheismAwarenessMoralityCreaturesEthicsEternityStructureRewardsStriveAtheistPositive AtheismTinySatisfiedTheologyAbsurdCherishPortionsDevotedMarvelousGlimpseEgoismAgnosticismAtheisticIf There Is A GodGod And ScienceWho God IsScience GodEternity Of Life
Book:Ideas and Opinions
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“It's no accident that capitalism has brought with it progress, not merely in production but also in knowledge. Egoism and competition are, alas, stronger forces than public spirit and sense of duty.”

SpiritForceLibertyProgressDutyCapitalismEconomicsStrongerCompetitionProductionsAccidentsLibertarianLibertarianismAlasEgoism
Book:The Albert Einstein Collection: Essays in Humanism, The Theory of Relativity, and The World As I See It
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“The web of hypocrisy of today hangs on the frontiers of two domains, between which our time swings back and forth, attaching its fine threads of deception and self-deception. No longer vigorous enough to serve morality without doubt or weakening, not yet reckless enough to live wholly to egoism, it trembles now toward the one and now toward the other in the spider-web of hypocrisy, and, crippled by the curse of halfness, catches only miserable, stupid flies.”

TwoSelfEnoughTodayDoubtStupidFineMoralityMiserableDeceptionCurseOur TimeHypocrisySwingsThreadSpidersDomainFrontiersRecklessBack And ForthSelf DeceptionVigorousEgoismCrippledWeakeningSpider Web
Book:Stirner: The Ego and Its Own
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“Man is born an asocial and antisocial being. The newborn child is a savage. Egoism is his nature. Only the experience of life and the teachings of his parents, his brothers, sisters, playmates, and later of other people FORCE HIM to acknowledge the advantages of social cooperation and accordingly to change his behavior.”

PeopleMenChildrenForceSocialParentBornTeachingBrotherBehaviorAdvantageAcknowledgeCooperationSavagesEgoismNewbornAntisocialBrother SisterNewborn Child
Author:Ludwig von Mises
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“I don't want to write a mass before being in a state to do it well, that is a Christian. I have therefore taken a singular course to reconcile my ideas with the exigencies of Academy rules. They ask me for something religious: very well, I shall do something religious, but of the pagan religion. . . . I have always read the ancient pagans with infinite pleasure, while in Christian writers I find only system, egoism, intolerance, and a complete lack of artistic taste.”

WantWritingWellsIdeasStatesChristianCoursesAsksReligiousPleasureTakenTasteMassInfiniteAncientArtisticAsk MeIntoleranceAcademyPaganEgoismReconcile
Author:Georges Bizet
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“Sheer egoism... Writers share this characteristic with scientists, artists, politicians, lawyers, soldiers, successful businessmen - in short, with the whole top crust of humanity.”

WritingWholeArtistHumanitySuccessfulSharePoliticianScientistSoldierLawyerCharacteristicsSheerBusinessmanEgoismSuccessful BusinessSuccessful Businessman
Book:The Collected Essays, Journalism and Letters of George Orwell: An age like this, 1920-1940
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“Unfortunately for ethical egoism, the claim that we will all be better off if every one of us does what is in his or her own interest is incorrect. This is shown by what are known as "prisoner's dilemma" situations, which are playing an increasingly important role in discussions of ethical theory... At least on the collective level, therefore, egoism is self-defeating - a conclusion well brought out by Parfit in his aforementioned Reasons and Persons.”

IfsWellsPersonsDoeImportantSelfReasonInterestLevelsSituationKnownRolesTheoryClaimsLibertarianConclusionDiscussionCollectivesEthicalPrisonerBetter OffDilemmaEgoism
Author:Peter Singer
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“For a human character to reveal truly exceptional qualities, one must have the good fortune to be able to observe its performance over many years. If this performance is devoid of all egoism, if its guiding motive is unparalleled generosity, if it is absolutely certain that there is no thought of recompense and that, in addition, it has left its visible mark upon the earth, then there can be no mistake.”

IfsYearsHumansCharacterAbleEarthCertainLeftMistakeQualityPerformancesMarkFortuneGenerosityMotiveVisibleExceptionalGood FortuneEgoismRecompense
Book:The Man Who Planted Trees
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“It’s in our interest to take care of others. Self-centrednes s is opposed to basic human nature. In our own interest as human beings we need to pay attention to our inner values. Sometimes people think compassion is only of help to others, while we get no benefit. This is a mistake. When you concern yourself with others, you naturally develop a sense of self-confidence . To help others takes courage and inner strength.”

PeopleThinkingNeedsHumansSelfSometimesHelpingWisdomCareSpiritualValuesInterestHuman BeingsPayAttentionMistakeCompassionCourageWiseHuman NatureDevelopmentConfidenceWise WordsWords Of WisdomBenefitsConcernConcernedCaringTake CareSelf ConfidenceHelping OthersSensesDevelopingPay AttentionInner StrengthSpiritual WisdomOpposingSense Of SelfEgoismCaring For OthersTibetan
Author:Dalai Lama
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“A compassionate attitude helps you communicate more easily with your fellow human beings. As a result, you make more genuine friends and the atmosphere around you is more positive, which gives you greater inner strength. This inner strength helps you spontaneously concern yourself with others, instead of thinking only about yourself.”

ThinkingGivingHumansHelpingHuman BeingsResultsAttitudeGreaterWords Of WisdomConcernFellowsCommunicateGenuineAtmosphereInner StrengthAbout YourselfCompassionateSelf CenteredWise Man Once SaidEgoismTibetanGenuine Friends
Author:Dalai Lama
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“The simple recognition that everyone else wants to be happy and not to suffer, just as I do, serves as a constant reminder against selfishness and partiality. It reminds us there is little to be gained from being kind and generous while hoping to win something in return. Actions motivated by a desire to earn a good name for ourselves are still selfish, even if they appear to be acts of kindness.”

IfsWantKindLittlesStillsActionDesireSufferingWinningNamesSimpleKindnessReturnWords Of WisdomConstantHappySelfishRecognitionSelfishnessGenerousBe KindMotivatedBeing HappyRemindersWise Man Once SaidEgoismTibetanActs Of KindnessWant To Be HappyRandom Acts Of KindnessSelfish PeoplePartiality
Author:Dalai Lama
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“It is something like the way dame Nature gathers round a foreign body an envelope of some insensitive tissue which can protect from evil that which it would otherwise harm by contact. If this be an ordered selfishness, then we should pause before we condemn any one for the vice of egoism, for there may be deeper root for its causes than we have knowledge of.”

IfsWayShouldMayBodyEvilCausesProtectRootsRoundsVicesDeeperHarmContactSelfishnessPausesEgoismTissuesEnvelopesInsensitiveDames
Book:Dracula
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“The more you think about your own self, the more self-centred you are, the more trouble even small problems can create in your mind. The stronger your sense of 'I', the narrower the scope of your thinking becomes; then even small obstacles become unbearable. On the other hand, if you concern yourself mainly with others, the broader your thinking becomes, and life's inevitable difficulties disturb you less.”

IfsThinkingMindSelfProblemHandsTroubleConcernDifficultyStrongerObstaclesInevitableScopeDisturbingUnbearableSelf CenteredEgoismCaring For OthersTibetanNarrow-mindedBroadmindednessSmall Problems
Author:Dalai Lama
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“This state of mind, which subordinates the interests of the ego to the conservation of the community, is really the first premise for every truly human culture... The basic attitude from which such activity arises, we call-to distinguish it from egoism and selfishness-idealism. By this we understand only the individual's capacity to make sacrifices for the community, for his fellow men.”

MenMindFirstsHumansStatesCulturePoliticsIndividualInterestCommunityAttitudeSacrificeActivityEgoCapacityFellowsAriseSelfishnessState Of MindConservationIdealismFellow ManPremisesEgoismSubordinates
Author:Adolf Hitler
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