People Are Selfish

"Where there is no strong state, people strive to dominate and destroy each other."

- Hobbes

Selfishness is when an individual consciously acts to advance their personal interests at the expense of others or society. This implies a level of awareness. Thus, it is unique to beings who possess both a social existence and the ability to distinguish themselves from the rest of existence, particularly from their peers, and who can evaluate their actions within this framework both before and after.

However, the debate about selfishness requires deep reflection on whether people are inherently selfish. There are countless individuals who sacrifice many of their possessions, including their lives, for their loved ones, their country, or the ideals they hold dear. Likewise, many people balance and share what they have with their family, loved ones, and even strangers with whom they have some common bond. While selfishness is a term often casually mentioned in everyday life, I don't believe it is as prevalent when deeply considered.

At this point, it's worth acknowledging that there are indeed people who are selfish, either by specific standards or generally. I believe there are two main reasons for this: first, a lack of universal ethics. Ignoring the fact that societies and civilizations can progress in peace and security only when resources are fairly distributed. Second, insufficient vital competence. Weakness, that is. If you are a materially and spiritually weak person, it is quite understandable to exhibit selfish behavior.

Evolutionary and Psychological Foundations of Selfishness

Selfishness is also related to survival mechanisms throughout human evolutionary history. Evolutionary theory suggests that the desire of individuals to pass on their genetic material to future generations can trigger selfish behaviors. From this perspective, selfishness can be seen as a biological necessity. However, it must also be noted that cooperation and collective behaviors enhance survival chances from an evolutionary standpoint. This balance leads to the coexistence of tendencies for both selfishness and cooperation in human behavior.

Psychologically, selfishness is related to an individual's self-perception. A healthy self-esteem and self-concept enable an individual to form healthy relationships with others. However, low self-esteem and self-concept can lead an individual to feel threatened and thus exhibit selfish behaviors. Such individuals prioritize their own needs over others', disregarding others' needs.

Selfishness in the Context of Society and Culture

Selfishness can also be evaluated differently in social and cultural contexts. In Western cultures, individualism is emphasized, while collectivism is more prevalent in Eastern cultures. In individualistic societies, looking out for one's interests is seen as more acceptable, whereas in collectivist societies, it is expected that individuals consider the interests of the community. These cultural differences significantly affect the perception and interpretation of selfishness.

Additionally, modern societies contain many factors that encourage selfishness. Capitalist economic systems drive individuals towards competition and maximizing personal gains. This contributes to the prevalence of social selfishness. However, solidarity and cooperation are also possible within these same economic systems. Social responsibility projects, charitable organizations, and volunteer work encourage individuals to engage in behaviors that consider societal benefit.

Coping with Selfishness

Dealing with selfishness requires effort both at the individual and societal levels. On an individual level, developing empathy and emotional intelligence are effective ways to reduce selfish behaviors. Empathy helps an individual understand others' feelings and needs, leading to less selfish actions.

At a societal level, policies and practices based on principles of justice and equality can reduce selfishness. Education systems can contribute to the reduction of societal selfishness by instilling the importance of sharing and cooperation in young people. Furthermore, social norms and values play a significant role in shaping individuals' behaviors. A society that rewards sharing and solidarity instead of selfishness can encourage individuals to exhibit less selfish behaviors.

Not Expecting Too Much from People

The fact that people might be inherently selfish suggests that we shouldn't have high expectations of them. High expectations can lead to disappointment and distrust. By accepting that people might prioritize their own interests, we can adopt a more realistic and healthy approach in our relationships.

For instance, consider a situation in the business world. An employee expects full support from their colleagues on a major project, but the colleagues focus on lightening their own workloads and do not contribute adequately to the project. In this case, the employee experiences great disappointment. However, if they had initially considered that their colleagues might have different priorities and might not show the required interest in the project, they might not have experienced this disappointment and could have found a more effective solution.