Is selfishness natural instinct or is a learned behavior?

Question

I often watch my children interacting with one another and it seems as if being selfish just comes naturally. I certainly didn't teach them to not want to share or want the best for themselves and care less what is left. Being one with a heart full of compassion I actually find it very hard to be selfish and often feel guilty when I do finally take a stand and display a bit of selfishness. I also have a strong suspiscion that it could be a gender issue.hmmm...maybe - maybe not. Whatever the case may be selfishness is definitely encouraged the older we become as society tells us it is acceptable step on or to use others as we make our way to the top - unfortunately at the top is a lonely and artifical place. The love of money is the root of all evil - Some may misunderstand and think that we should be against being prosperous - NOT SO just don't fall in love with making money - you will never be able to satisfy the insatiable appetite.

Answer 1

I think yes, chldren do have the urge to look after their own interests. They want what they want. And it seems perfectly natural to them to protect what they want. Some children are, though, naturally giving to those that they care about. Just as that selfish streak is inherent, I think unconditional love is also something inherent in children.

Answer 2

LOOK selfishness is the sin nature we were born in.AS i get older i find my self fighting my self to not be selfish. BUT some times you need to take care of your self first or you wont be around to help others. TAKE care of your health so you can take care of others that's not selfish. I think there is a fine line, there of sticking up 4 your self and being selfish.BTW my sisters kids r so selfish we teach them every day to think of others.NEXT day we are back to square 1 all over again. So don't give up----------------------------- THE BIBLE says Train a child in the way he should go when he grows old he will not depart from it. star

Answer 3

True - Humans are inately selfish creatures. May be it comes from a survival instinct, but because the fight for survival is not there or needed it evolves (so to speak) into a selfish trait, and a fight for survival of placement, power, love, money, attention etc.

Answer 4

I found that selfishness lessened in my life as time went on. I think it has to do with the struggles of life and seeing what people go through. I went to my 94 year old grandmother's funeral the other day. It wasn't selfish. It was happy. I was happy to see everybody and see her, even in her condition. She was happy and where she needed to be.

Answer 5

It is a learned behavior, but like you said your kids ARE young. I see it all the time in toddlers/young children, and I also remember myself being a greedy little terd. I hated it when other kids tried to take my toys.. or my $ that I had saved up from an allowance to buy more toys.

Answer 6

children go through a stage of being selfish, but if they are older children/teenagers and still have a problem with sharing then I would start to discipline them more and take things away from them (TV. internet, etc) until they learn to share.

Answer 7

Being unselfish is learned, not natural. It is called civilizing the native. Doesn't always work, but something is better than nothing.

Answer 8

i think it's natural and I would not teach my kids otherwise so they know they have to power to do with whatever they have- if they wanna share or not- and it's not wrong to tell people no when it comes to their personal belonging, time and/or money

Answer 9

i believe it is learned
poeple think that they are sharing people but they say "no, that is MINE" and it shows kids that possesions are important, thus they become selfish

Answer 10

it's natural behavior