If you help yourself and those you care about, those around you, you will never drag society down and you will be capable of doing more good in the world!

**your __needs__ are more important than other people's __wants__** - self love is fine, but hurting others for your own gain makes your morals questionable at best. it is okay to be selfish, because you are all you have. it is said that we are inherently selfish for survival reasons, but i believe we have evolved past the primitive need to survive and nothing morem as babies we have not developed the skills to think of others and are egotistical, but we soon learn these skills and those who don't may be unnecessarily selfish due to [environmental and psychological factors.](https://www.google.com/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/humans-arent-inherently-selfish-were-actually-hardwired-to-work-together-144145) - putting others first has its limits. [you need to have something inside to give.](https://www.inc.com/christina-desmarais/why-selfishness-is-a-virtue.html) wanting to help others while being burned out hurts all involved. it soon becomes draining and leads to resentment and means you cannot give the best of yourself. you can't pour from an empty cup, so sometimes the most selfless thing you can do is to be selfish. having boundaries and caring for yourself is only inconvenient to those who benefited from there being none. - being selfish can have repercussions in other people's lives - there is a fine line. like anything, selfishness in excess is dangerous. there is a difference between showing yourself compassion before extending a hand to others and being straight up inconsiderate. being caught up in yourself to the point where you don't consider anyone else is when you start to become the common factor in your relationships declining since you swing far out and only ever think abour your needs and desires. we occupy this planet alongside others and we should be mindful of how we affect their quality of life.

I hate to be that person, but according to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the definition of “selfish” is: “concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others”. By this definition, selfishness is presented as less of a virtue and more of a problem.

Since a concern with your own interests is a character trait that, when put action, enables you to achieve and protect your own well-being and it would imply selfishness is a virtue. Egoism (an ethics of rational selfishness) is not inherently immoral. You could argue the true altruism is rare/ non-existent people do things to be liked and feel good about themselves rarely do they do things simply because it is the right thing to do. Similarly Altruism is not inherently moral, Hitler was an altruist and demanded it of his country men. Everyone was a cog of the state and was expected to put the well being of country before everything else. An Egoist would do the right thing despite what society tells them, not necessary because it benefits them or society but because they have set principles and reject sacrificing them for the sake of others. Principles that benefit you (productivity, independence, integrity, honesty, justice, pride) benefit the society as whole.

While a degree of self-interest is healthy — promoting self-preservation, confidence, and boundaries — elevating selfishness to the level of a virtue overlooks its destructive potential. Unchecked selfishness can erode trust, damage relationships, and undermine the cooperation societies depend on. True virtues, like compassion, integrity, or courage, often involve thinking beyond oneself. While individual success may sometimes require assertiveness, selfishness becomes harmful when it disregards others entirely. It’s a trait to be managed, not glorified.