#selfishness

Selfishness is the only real atheism; aspiration, unselfishness, the only real religion. ↗

— Franklin D. Roosevelt

#atheism #only #real #real religion #religion

Human nature must have come much nearer perfection than it is now, or will be in many generations, to exclude from such a control prejudice, selfishness, ambition, and injustice. ↗

— Elihu Root

#come #control #exclude #generations #human

To feel much for others and little for ourselves; to restrain our selfishness and exercise our benevolent affections, constitute the perfection of human nature. ↗

— Adam Smith

#benevolent #constitute #exercise #feel #human

Undoubtedly there are, in connection with each of these things, cases of fraud, swindling, and other financial crimes; that is to say, the greed and selfishness of men are perpetual. ↗

— William Graham Sumner

#connection #crimes #each #financial #fraud

Childlessness doesn't make people selfish; selfishness makes people selfish. ↗

— Elizabeth Gilbert

#makes #people #selfish #selfishness

There is more selfishness and less principle among members of Congress than I had any conception of, before I became President of the U.S. ↗

— James K. Polk

#any #became #before #conception #congress

...selflessness and bravery aren’t all that different. All your life you’ve been training to forget yourself, so when you’re in danger, it becomes your first instinct. ↗

— Veronica Roth

#instinct #selfishness #life

Boredom is for the selfish. ↗

— Patti Digh

#boredom-and-attitude #keep-learning #moving-forward #selfishness #attitude

Your corn is ripe today; mine will be so tomorrow. 'Tis profitable for us both, that I should labour with you today, and that you should aid me tomorrow. I have no kindness for you, and know you have as little for me. I will not, therefore, take any pains upon your account; and should I labour with you upon my own account, in expectation of a return, I know I should be disappointed, and that I should in vain depend upon your gratitude. Here then I leave you to labour alone; You treat me in the same manner. The seasons change; and both of us lose our harvests for want of mutual confidence and security. ↗

— David Hume

#farming #individualism #selfishness #change

You will think me cruel, very selfish, but love is always selfish; the more ardent the more selfish. How jealous I am you cannot know. You must come with me, loving me, to death; or else hate me, and still come with me, and hating me through death and after. There is no such word as indifference in my apathetic nature. ↗

— Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

#hatred #love #selfishness #death