Effects of Selfishness Selfishness or egoism is by no means rare today. In work units, in public places, and in our university, we are sad to see some people who try to advance their own interests even at the cost of their honor and dignity. What are the effects of selfishness on a person? First, I think, selfishness makes him friendless. A selfish person does not understand that friendship is based on mutual respect and mutual help. It is something of “give-and-take.” A selfish person never offers help to others, but he is brazen enough to ask others for help. He may want someone to explain something to him for an hour, but he will turn a deaf ear to this persons questions immediately after his own problem has been solved. He does not feel ashamed in doing so; instead, he feels justified because he makes good use of every minute of his time! A selfish person is also indifferent to other peoples pains and sufferings and never stands out in an emergency. Therefore, when a roommate of his falls seriously ill and is badly in need of his help, he dodges the responsibility by pretending not to know that. He hides himself in the library though he usually stays in the dormitory. A person like this can never expect to have true friends. He may take advantage of other peoples kindness and benefit from it once or twice, but will lose their friendship forever. Secondly, a selfish person can never be really happy. Stingy with his time and energy, unwilling to help others, and eager to profit at other peoples expense, a selfish person constantly finds himself despised and lonely. He can never share other peoples pleasure or happiness, nor will others share his. He is so afraid of helping others that he keeps away from those who are doing something for other people. Generous people may help someone whose home has been damaged by a fire by offering money from their own pockets, but a selfish person will never do anything like that. Therefore, when people enjoy happiness in the happiness of the person they have helped, the selfish person can never have this happiness. Unable to get anyones help in time of difficulty or share anyones pleasure, how can a selfish person ever be happy? Thirdly, selfishness may very well lead a person to destruction. A selfish persons desire for good things is insatiable. He will shamelessly steal a book from the library and keep it for his own use even thought he knows hundreds of his fellow students are badly in need of it. Once he succeeds in stealing something petty, his selfish desire will drive him on to “new adventures.” Today it may be a book, tomorrow it will be a watch, a bicycle, a camera and so on until he ends up in prison. Selfishness poisons peoples minds and runs counter to the basic values of a socialist society It should have no place in our country today!