2007-10-21 03:01:47 · 9 answers · asked by donia f 4 in Social Science ➔ Sociology
Do you think this is a recent development? Ancient Egyptians used to use poision to decorate their skin. It was killing them, but in the name of beauty they did it. The Inca used to deliberately deform the skulls of their newborn babies to make them more attractive. Egyptians drilled holes in their teeth and set jewels in them. The Chinese broke the feet of their daughters and tied them into new shapes to make them more socially desireable.
People have always been superficial, and selfishness is nothing new either. Theft, slavery, extortion, all of these things are characteristic of ancient societies, as are gladiator games (where people fought to the death for the amusement of onlookers, kind of selfish) human sacrifice, serfdom, all kinds of stuff.
Today we are more mobile than ever, which make us less socially connected to our geographic area. We don't know our neighbors because we have cars. We don't have to worry about social censure for being rude to other people, because nobody is so deeply connected as to know who did what to who. (unlike days of more limited mobility where everybody knew everybody in a given district) So I don't think people are less connected, they just have no vested interest in being nice to people like they used to.
2007-10-21 04:30:54 · answer #1 · answered by awakeatdawn 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
That is your assumption. How do you know that people do that. Observe more closely. Selfish is fine. May be people have to do that. Are you not selfish? Look at it this way. When the subject matter concerns you and your kith and kin, you will be selfish. If you have a choice of doing something for the sake of yourself or your family at the stake of society, what would you do? But when another person does the same, where you, as a member of society stands to lose, you philosophise it with selfishness, etc. etc. Right? There is nothing wrong in being selfish. Because the Self is the most important thing to everyone. Well, if something can be done for the society without hurting the self, why wouldn't anyone do it?
2007-10-21 03:28:44 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
AS a reult of world events and the interest of the Bush government to rule by fear people are taking a more personal view of life. Note also that over the last 50 years, family units has broken down. Out current mobile society has spead out across the world. Before, families lived worked and dien in the smae town, the same house. Look at this situation today. Loss of respect for others. Drungs, Violence Terrorism in the streets of the USA goes unchecks while the Govt spends billions waging a war on terror somewhere else. The lies of the GOvernment, The deceptions all the changes in values have lead to seeking the individual as the only point of stability. You can't depend on job stability, presonal rights and liberties, safety, education values and levels and the insistance that the religious wrong should impose a theocracy instead of rule by civil law has made everything so unstable. People no longer have the standards and values that we did at the end of the WW II.
2007-10-21 03:19:57 · answer #3 · answered by organbuilder272 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think it's because of a lack of careness. Some people are so greedy in things they want for themselves, that they forget what's best for others. I see this in applying for jobs a lot. A job applicant will apply for a job, and the employer will refuse to interview the job applicant, because of a dislike. Some people just don't care what they can do for others, that can also benefit themselves. This is something people don't think about. It's all because of a lack of intelligence and careness.
2007-10-21 03:24:36 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
They get called pretty once and start to thing their gods gift to earth. Happens to alot of people. Then thay think they deserve things more than other people and thats how they become selfish. It's a sad sad web of life and if you're not careful you get woven into. It's happened to me a few times.
2007-10-21 03:05:48 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
For one thing, over-population. Just as putting 10 adult rats in a 10 gallon aquarium will make them agressive and kill each other, its the same with poeple.
Also, the conservative media fuels people's sense of paranoia with constant stories of terrorism, crime, disease, aliens taking jobs, etc.
2007-10-21 03:06:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
If you can get one or two of them off the cell phone long enough that would be an excellent question to ask them.
2007-10-21 03:04:50 · answer #7 · answered by sliverofmoon2000 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Electronic isolation and consumer directed propaganda by retailers.
2007-10-21 06:10:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
gradual change in generation.
2007-10-21 03:05:45 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋