In light of current times, I explore just how selfish people are, as well as attributes of selfish people. Are we willing to sacrifice personal interest for the greater good, or do personal needs ultimately come first? 

COVID-19 is revealing a lot about people, namely how much they are willing to sacrifice for the public interest. In some cases, it is shockingly little. With a pandemic still in full swing, it’s troubling how many people want to return to normal life simply because they are sick of taking precautions and making changes. From missed haircuts to no more bar and club access, many are demanding that life return to its pre-pandemic state to increase their life quality with little to no thought about the health of others they will be jeopardizing. This has led to many reopening protests, as well as cases of violence such as two men who refused to wear masks fighting with a Target security guard and breaking his arm. Even more appalling is the fact that people are repeatedly shooting each other in the United States over COVID-19 restrictions, in some cases resulting in fatality. While these stories are contrasted with those of love, support, and community, such abhorrent acts are hard to outweigh. Which broaches the question: when it comes down to it, are humans inherently selfish?

There is some hopeful news when it comes to determining the importance of motivating emotions. It turns out that acting in the best interest of others is more valued than a cynic might think. Women rate altruism higher than looks when it comes to choosing a viable partner. Recent discoveries have revealed that self-interest is not the primary motivation in many human interactions. Rather than act with selfish intent, many instead favor the good of the group. This leads to more cases of helping those in need, reciprocating kindness, and treating people more fairly. Though people likely have an enormous capacity for selfish behavior, that does not mean that its limit is regularly reached. Therefore, the potential for people to act poorly should not be considered so dire in light of people’s innate desire to help those around them. At the same time, there will always be people prone to greediness who can sabotage the good of the group. Fortunately, this can be at least partially balanced with good acts.

Many indeed choose to help others, but would they continue to act favorably if no one was watching? While it is a popular philosophic topic to debate just why people choose to act good, it can be argued that the reasoning behind the acts doesn’t matter nearly as much as the acts themselves. Therefore, whether people are acting with kind intent due to true altruism or because of law enforcement, social constructs, karmic reasons, or religious convictions is not significant so long as people are making an effort to do what is best for others. However, such a mindset is reliant on the success of those who make and reinforce laws, as well as the determined values of a society. In this situation, people are only as good as they are expected to be, making it important to champion values that bolster community betterment. Under such high expectations, people who fail to meet social standards should be guided rather than punished, since punishment seldom works to improve interpersonal relationships or heighten the desire to help others.

When it comes to determining the extent of selfish intent, there are warning signs that indicate selfish behavior. Though some people might be aware of their selfish behavior and choose not to change, others might be unable to accurately view themselves. Therefore, they are blind to their inherent selfishness and its effects, though they can just as easily cause damage to your life with their actions. Overall, selfish people tend to be excellent manipulators. Sometimes this might disguise them as charming, as they will structure their attitude to best obtain what they need. However, the charm can quickly turn menacing if their needs are not met. It is not uncommon for them to then start to scheme against you. Because selfish people are so focused on their own needs and desires, they are largely uncaring for those around them. Selfish people are also more likely to be conceited and self-centered.

While selfish people can often be considered tedious, they can also be toxic. Since selfish people focus all of their capacity to care inward, they are seldom preoccupied with other people’s wants and needs. This can lead to one-sided relationships, with the other partner’s physical and emotional needs failing to be met. Selfish people focus on their own goals and needs, diminishing their ability to be a supportive partner. They can also become bitter rivals, as the constant prioritization of their own goals causes them to have tunnel vision focused on personal success. Additionally, selfish people can be difficult to connect with as they tend to struggle with showing their vulnerabilities and admitting to weakness. Unfortunately, selfish people do not tend to be receptive to criticism and will simply ignore people who try to point out their behavior. These personality types can ultimately be extremely dominating and draining, especially for people who struggle with advocating for themselves.

Unfortunately the question of whether you are more good or bad cannot be determined by a simple Buzzfeed quiz. To answer if you are inherently selfish, you will have to be truly honest about your conduct and intent. When it comes to evaluating people overall, the conclusion is not as grim as one might fear. People are more prone to kindness than we might believe. Therefore, the cases of people neglecting the interest of others should not represent mankind as a whole. At the same time, that doesn’t mean these incidents should be forgiven or forgotten with ease. In current times it is vital to remember that one bad apple can spoil quite a lot, so it is paramount to put personal grievances aside and do what needs to be done to ensure for overall protection of both oneself and others.