Why Are People Selfish? 7 Eccentric Reasons On Selfishness

Some people think the world has grown more selfish than in prior years. So why are people selfish?

While everyone is likely to act selfishly, they do it based on their self-interests. When individuals become selfish, it’s more to do with fulfilling their interests and desires.

As long as it involves becoming a better version of themselves, they will do what is best for them. In this article, I’ll go over seven reasons why selfishness is portrayed in nearly every single individual.

  1. They Take Care Of Themselves First
  2. They Feel Lonely
  3. They Fear Losing Control
  4. They’re Interested In Building Massive Wealth
  5. They Prefer Peace Over Pleasure
  6. They Care For People They Know
  7. They Desire A Better Future
Why are people selfish? This article will discuss some reasons for people being selfish.

Reasons people act selfish

There’s much more to understand why people become selfish, or what I like to refer to as self-interested individuals. In business and in personal life, more good comes out of it than we think.

Let’s review some of the reasons why people act in this manner. Some of them may be obvious to understand, while others you may not be aware of today.

Why are people selfish?

While everyone is selfish, they do it based on their self-interests. We become better versions of ourselves when we act on our self-interests and needs. Let’s go over seven reasons why selfishness is portrayed in nearly every person.

They take care of themselves first

There’s nothing wrong with prioritizing self-care. Think about it: If we don’t care for ourselves first, how can we care for others?

You want to make sure you’re in the best shape possible to help care for others. Health in all aspects (physically and mentally) needs attention.

If you don’t do that, you won’t act your best. Doing that can make you more mindful and self-aware of your own behaviors.

Why are people selfish? Sometimes, people will care for themselves first before caring for others.

They feel lonely

Loneliness can be an empty feeling at times. If someone is lonely often, they spend a lot of time by themselves.

Being lonely every now and then is not bad. But being lonely all the time is not good as well. As a matter of fact, loneliness happens to be an epidemic in recent years.

My family background

One of my great-grandmothers was a widow for many years, as her husband passed away at an early age. But throughout her life, she was described as a “loner”.

Based on what my grandmother told me (her daughter), she grew up in a big family. I think she had six-seven siblings, so she was accustomed to being around a lot of people.

After a while, she did a lot of things by herself growing up. So my great-grandmother may have gone through loneliness at times, but that’s what my grandmother noticed about her.

I have a few relatives who behave similarly to my great-grandmother. So loneliness seems to run in my family background.

Does a selfish person ever change?

A selfish person can be selfish for a long time, but with experience and new relationships, they can change.

They fear losing control

When things don’t work out as intended, people may fear losing control. If you plan for the day ahead, things may suddenly come up at the last minute.

For example, if you run a business, you may not meet your goals or targets for earning revenue. Whether that’s quarterly or on an annual basis, it can be frustrating to not meet those goals.

Once the control is lost, time is lost and more effort has to be put in with contingency plans. So losing that control doesn’t do people any good.

Some situations are meant to stay under control, but it doesn’t always work out that way. If they have some type of backup plan, it’s easier to plan ahead of time.

Why are people selfish? Those who are selfish don't enjoy losing control of situations.

They’re interested in building massive wealth 

This one is not uncommon to think about at times. I believe self-interested individuals have the desire to become very wealthy in life. 

Not only will it help enrich themselves, but also, they may want to provide opportunities for other people. If it’s job opportunities, hiring people can be beneficial to growing their businesses.

There’s a common misconception about those who are rich: Rich people seek to enrich themselves and not care about others. However, there’s also the need to reinvest the revenue earned into growing their businesses.

It may not be the case for every person, but it’s likely when it comes to managing wealth. Something has to be considered in mind when it comes to managing money, so that rule applies to growing a business.

How do selfish people think?

They put their needs first and foremost. Once they’ve been met, it’s possible they’ll look out for others. But more importantly, they look out for their self-interests.

They prefer peace over pleasure

When people put their self-interests first, they want to have some peace of mind. Are they satisfied in their lives? If so, they may have achieved a sense of internal peace.

Rather than seeking short-term pleasure, they’re focused on seeking peace for the long run. That’s something a lot of people want at the moment, but they don’t prioritize peace first.

Why are people selfish? Selfish people prefer peace over pleasure.

They care for people they know

Selfish people not only care for themselves, but they may look out for their family and friends. For the most part, they’ll do their best to help out the ones they care for the most.

When times are tough, they’ll lend a hand and reach out to those they know best. For those who are married and have children, they’ll prioritize those individuals first.

Maybe not for other people, but it’s much easier to care for people you know well. 

They desire a better future

Some people are willing to go above and beyond to do better in life. Oftentimes, it’s to improvise the quality of their lives.

They may have a strong motivation to do better, so that may be why they put their needs first and foremost. Once they’re met, it’s possible they want to help others fulfill their needs. 

A relevant article from notimekillers.com

Read next on “How to focus on one thing at a time: My thoughts for work”, and learn how focusing on a single task can benefit you with getting more done.

Why are people selfish? Selfish people may desire a better future for themselves.

Final Words 

It seems that the world has become more selfish over time. But it’s not uncommon: Every now and then, every person is selfish to some extent.

The idea behind this article is to understand how people behave, and how it can impact other people around them. Heck, you may fall under the category of selfishness. 

There’s nothing wrong with being selfish. As long as it may serve a higher purpose of helping others down the road, there are good reasons to believe that.

The reasons discussed earlier can provide a better insight into this issue, and what to commonly look out for in individuals. It’s probably no secret that selfish people act selfishly as you confront them every day.

Your Turn: Do you know people who are selfish?

I would like to get your thoughts on this topic. Do you encounter selfish people on a regular basis?

How are your interactions with selfish people? Do you challenge their thoughts, or do you notice they like to take control of certain situations?

Or, have you experienced being selfish yourself? Is it in your self-interest to seek better opportunities in life?

Feel free to share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. I look forward to reading your responses, and I’ll gladly respond promptly.

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Eric is the owner and chief editor of notimekillers.com. 

He takes great pride in helping people manage their time and grow their businesses. 

Eric is a firm believer in financial and time freedom, as he believes in financial independence and taking ownership of your time. 

“Time is your most important asset. It can be your best friend or worst enemy. How you use your time can shape the future you desire to have.” 

In his leisure time, Eric loves to write and read whenever possible. He enjoys going for long walks outdoors while doing in-home workout videos every week. 

You can also connect with Eric via LinkedIn.

Self Photo 2019: Here's a picture at a building in downtown Chicago.

2 thoughts on “Why Are People Selfish? 7 Eccentric Reasons On Selfishness”

  1. A wise man once said, “We are all humans but the hardest thing to find among humans is humanity”. Everyone thinks of themselves before others. 

    Selfishness is something that is found among many people. It creates a bad reputation and can affect how people relate to you. 

    Being aware of your selfishness is one step towards eliminating this bad habit.

    Reply
    • Hi,

      I’m not surprised to believe that a lot of individuals put themselves before other people. For the most part, it’s always been part of human nature throughout the years.

      Selfishness is real, but it’s something we can avoid doing. Instead of being selfish, we need to do the best we can for self-interested individuals.

      We can act in our own interests but also work to help others at the same time. I think that’s what we need more of in today’s world.

      Being aware of it is the first step to improving over time. So that’s something I agree with for sure.

      Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts. I love the quote you provided, which has relevance to truth in some way. 

      Thank you again- your insights are greatly appreciated.

      Reply

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