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Selfishness Quotes

Browse 1370 quotes about Selfishness.

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Selfishness Quotes

“It is to the credit of human nature that, except where its selfishness is brought into play, it loves more readily than it hates.”

HumansPlayHateMankindHuman NatureCreditSelfishnessHumankindScarletHatred And Anger
Book:Nathaniel Hawthorne: Collected Novels: Scarlet Letter / House of Seven Gables / Blithedale Romance / Fanshawe / Marble Faun: Library of America #10
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“...Good leaders wait to be called and they give up their power when they are no longer needed. Selfish men and fools put themselves first and keep their power until someone throws them out. It is no good to have a way where selfish men and fools fight with each other to be leaders, while the good ones watch.”

MenWayGivingFirstsFightingWaitingLeaderWatchesFoolNeededGiving UpSelfishSelfishnessGood LeaderSelfish Men
Book:Neither Wolf Nor Dog: On Forgotten Roads with an Indian Elder
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“I heard of somebody once who said he was interested in doing the greatest amount of good for the greatest number, and that the greatest number was number one. That was himself. That may sound like a little bit of selfishness, but if that is selfishness, at least it is a very intelligent selfishness. Everyone has a right to be interested in himself, and I am confident that God wants us to be interested in ourselves first; that is, the first soul that anyone should bring to God should be his own soul.”

IfsWantShouldFirstsMayLittlesSaidSoulBitsSoundNumbersHeardAmountLittle BitIntelligentSelfishSelfishnessWant U
Author:Sterling W Sill
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“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 uniformity of type. Unselfishness recognizes infinite variety of type as a delightful thing, accepts it, acquiesces in it, enjoys it.”

PeopleWishEnjoyAcceptingTypeInfiniteAskingAimSelfishVarietySelfishnessInterfereDelightfulUniformityUnselfishnessDelightful Things
Book:The Artist as Critic: Critical Writings of Oscar Wilde
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“It's funny. I'm attracted to things that don't have any impact on life. People say I've done a great thing for women. I don't think I have. People say I've given people courage. That makes me feel good, but I don't see how I do that. I think my running is a selfish thing. But it provides the challenge that allows me to feel good about myself. How can I expect to do well in other activities if I don't feel good about myself?”

PeopleIfsThinkingFeelsWellsDoneRunningGivenChallengesActivityImpactSelfishGreat ThingsFeel GoodSelfishness
Author:Joan Benoit
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“Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief. We have seen our beaches, our parks, our forests littered with ugly refuse by those who evidently have no appreciation for their beauty. I have driven through thousands of acres of blackened land scourged by a fire evidently set by a careless smoker whose only concern had been the selfish pleasure gained from a cigarette.”

MindSelfPleasureFireLandIgnoranceGratitudeConcernMarkRefuseAppreciationUglyDrivenAbsenceSelfishForestsSelfishnessBeachParksCigaretteEgotismCarelessMischiefAcresUneducatedSelf SufficiencySufficiencySmokersWantonLack Of KnowledgeNo Appreciation
Author:Gordon B. Hinckley
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“This, books can do-nor this alone; they give New views to life, and teach us how to live; They soothe the grieved, the stubborn they chastise; Fools they admonish, and confirm the wise. Their aid they yield to all: they never shun The man of sorrow, nor the wretch undone; Unlike the hard, the selfish, and the proud, They fly not sullen from the suppliant crowd; Nor tell to various people various things, But show to subjects, what they show to kings.”

PeopleMenGivingBookHardShowsCan DoViewsTeachWiseSubjectsHe ManFoolProudKingsSorrowCrowdsVariousAidsSelfishSelfishnessYieldStubbornUndoneSullenAdmonish
Book:The Poetical Works of George Crabbe, Etc. [With a Portrait and a Prefatory Memoir Signed: C. T.]
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“Ultimately there can be no freedom for self unless it is vouchsafed for others; there can be no security where there is fear, and a democratic society presupposes confidence and candor in the relations of men with one another and eager collaboration for the larger ends of life instead of the pursuit of petty, selfish or vainglorious aims.”

MenEndsSelfFreedomSecurityRelationAimDemocraticSelfishPursuitSelfishnessCollaborationPettyEnd Of LifeDemocratic SocietyCandor
Author:Felix Frankfurter
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“The world today speaks a great deal about love, and it is sought by many. But the pure love of Christ differs greatly from what the world thinks of love. Charity never seeks selfish gratification. The pure love of Christ seeks only the eternal growth and joy of others.”

ThinkingWorldTodayJoySpeakGrowthChristDealsPureEternalEternityCharitySelfishSelfishnessGratificationWorld TodayPure Love
Book:The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson
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“When a teacher of the future comes to point out to the youth of America how the highest rewards of intellect and devotion can be gained, he may say to them, not by subtlety and intrigue; not by wire pulling and demagoguery; not by the arts of popularity; not by skill and shiftiness in following expediency; but by being firm in devotion to the principles of manhood and the application of morals and the courage of righteousness in the public life of our country; by being a man without guile and without fear, without selfishness, and with devotion to duty, devotion to his country.”

MenMayArtCountryAmericaMoralPrinciplesCourageTeacherYouthDutySkillsHighestRewardsFollowingIntellectSelfishDevotionOur CountrySelfishnessFirmRighteousnessApplicationPopularityPullingManhoodIntrigueWirePublic LifeSubtletyExpediencyDemagogueryGuileDevotion To Duty
Author:Elihu Root
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“Why is it immoral for you to desire, but moral for others to do so? Why is it immoral to produce a value and keep it, but moral to give it away? And if it is not moral for you to keep a value, why is it moral for others to accept it? If you are selfless and virtuous when you give it, are they not selfish and vicious when they take it?”

IfsGivingDesireValuesAcceptingMoralProduceSelfishSelfishnessSelflessVirtuousImmoralViciousNot Selfish
Book:The Ayn Rand Lexicon: Objectivism from A to Z
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“We are all making a crown for Jesus out of these daily lives of ours, either a crown of golden, divine love, studded with gems of sacrifice and adoration, or a thorny crown, filled with the cruel briars of unbelief, or selfishness, and sin.”

JesusSinSacrificeDivineFilledSelfishGoldenSelfishnessDaily LifeCrownsDivine LoveAdorationGemsUnbeliefBriars
Book:This is That: Personal Experiences Sermons and Writings of Aimee Semple McPherson
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“A narcissist society, in which each person is busy looking out for number one, can build neither brotherhood nor community. Aren't we glad in this Easter season and in all seasons that Jesus did not selfishly look out for number one? No wonder we have been told, 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me,' and this includes self-worship! (Ex. 20:3; emphasis added). One way or another, the grossly selfish will finally be shattered, whimpering, against the jagged, concrete consequences of their selfishness.”

WayLooksPersonsHas BeensSelfJesusCommunityNumbersWonderWorshipConsequenceSeasonsBusySelfishGladOne WaySelfishnessBrotherhoodConcreteEasterEmphasisExesShatteredNarcissistEaster Season
Author:Neal A. Maxwell
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“Satan had two conditions [to his plan]: the first was the denial of agency, and the second, that he would have the honor. In other words, something had to be in it for him. And thus he became the father of lies and selfishness. Taking up one's cross and following the Savior means overcoming selfishness; it is a commitment to serve others. Selfishness is one of the baser human traits, which must be subdued and overcome. We torture our souls when we focus on getting rather than giving.”

GivingFirstsHumansMeanTwoSoulLyingFatherFocusPlansConditionsHonorCommitmentCrossesOvercomingFollowingSelfishDenialSelfishnessSatanTortureAgencySaviorTraits
Author:James E. Faust
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“Let it never be said by future generations that indifference, cynicism or selfishness made us fail to live up to the ideals of humanism which the Nobel Peace Prize encapsulates. Let the strivings of us all, prove Martin Luther King Jr. to have been correct, when he said that humanity can no longer be tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war.”

Has BeensMadeSaidWarHumanityFailingGenerationsKingsProveRacismIdealsStriveBoundsHuman RightsHumanismSelfishSelfishnessIndifferencePrizeCynicismMidnightLutherFuture GenerationNobelNobel Peace Prize
Author:Nelson Mandela
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“There is an honesty which is but decided selfishness in disguise. The person who will not refrain from expressing his or her sentiments and manifesting his or her feelings, however unfit the time, however inappropriate the place, however painful this expression may be, lays claim, forsooth, to our approbation as an honest person, and sneers at those of finer sensibilities as hypocrites.”

MayPersonsFeelingsHonestHonestyExpressionDecidedClaimsLaysPainfulSelfishnessSentimentsManifestDisguiseSensibilityHypocriteRefrainInappropriateSneerHonest Person
Author:Arthur Helps
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“We receive mixed messages about taking good care of ourselves. Love thy neighbor as thyself means to love thyself and thy neighbor. Yet, self-love often is confused with selfishness and conceit. We are selfish when we do not love and accept ourselves, and attempt to take from others to fill the emptiness. Conceit indicates low self-worth and an attempt to conceal it. It is difficult to extend to others what you have not been able to give yourself. Take good care of yourself so you can care about the rest of us.”

GivingMeanSelfCareAbleDifficultAcceptingLove YouSelf LoveMessagesLowsNeighborSelfishSelf WorthSelfishnessConfusedEmptinessLove YourselfThyselfConceitOften IsLove Thy NeighborLove Thyself
Book:Success Is the Quality of Your Journey
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“Self-interest is not myopic selfishness. It is whatever it is that interests the participants, whatever they value, whatever goals they pursue. The scientist seeking to advance the frontiers of his discipline, the missionary seeking to convert infidels to the true faith, the philanthropist seeking to bring comfort to the needy - all are pursuing their interests, as they see them, as they judge them by their own values.”

SelfValuesGoalInterestLibertyEconomicJudgingDisciplineComfortScientistSeekingLibertarianPursueSelfishnessMissionaryLibertarianismFrontiersSelf InterestParticipantsNeedyInfidelPhilanthropistTrue FaithMyopic
Book:Free to Choose: A Personal Statement
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