In a Selfish World, the Selfish Succeed
Fun fact: this is 100% true.
In a selfish world, everyone is selfish—even the kindest people. The truth is, no one on earth is truly selfless.
Think about it. When you're hungry, you think about you, not the starving people outside. When you're tired, you focus on your exhaustion, not the struggles of the homeless. Even when you've had breakfast and lunch, you still want dinner, without a thought about whether your neighbor ate at all.
And the so-called selfless? They're not an exception. Yes, they might give to charity or help the poor—but usually just for today. What about tomorrow? Or next week? Or next year? Often, the help is a one-time gesture, a fleeting moment to soothe their conscience and feel like a good person.
But here's the truth: that act of charity might make someone happy for a moment, but it rarely changes their life. It's more about the giver feeling better than it is about the receiver's lasting benefit.
Don't get me wrong—helping people is wonderful. Doing a good deed makes you feel better. But does that make you a good person? Not necessarily. And it doesn't make you bad either.
Here's a scenario to think about:
Imagine you're on a sinking boat. On one side are five helpless kids. On the other side, it's just you and your two kids. The boat is going under, and help is too far away. There are only three life jackets.
Who do you save?
The first answer that pops into your head reveals your true nature. It doesn't make you evil or good. It simply shows that, at the core, we're all selfish sometimes.
And that's okay. Because, in the end, we're all just human.