selfish

Selfish is an English adjective describing a concern with one's own advantage, welfare, or interests, often to the exclusion or detriment of others. It is typically used in a moral or evaluative sense to condemn actions perceived as prioritizing the self over communal or relational obligations. The related noun is selfishness, and the term can apply to individuals, behaviors, or motives.

The word derives from self plus the suffix -ish, indicating ‘having the characteristics of the self.’ It has been in English since the medieval period and is distinct from more neutral terms that simply denote self-interest.

In ethics and psychology, selfishness is discussed in contrast to altruism. Ethical theories such as ethical egoism argue that acting in one’s self-interest can be morally permissible or preferable, while psychological egoism posits that people always act to satisfy selfish motives. Critics distinguish genuine other-regarding concern from self-serving rationalizations, and many theories emphasize social or reciprocal motivations.

In biology, the phrase is used as a metaphor in discussions of evolution. The selfish gene concept, popularized by Richard Dawkins, suggests that natural selection can favor genetic strategies that maximize gene propagation, sometimes producing behaviors that appear altruistic but serve genetic terms. This view does not imply intentional selfishness by organisms, but describes selection pressures at the gene level.

Culturally, selfishness is generally viewed negatively in norms promoting cooperation and compassion, though some frameworks advocate enlightened self-interest, recognizing that long-term self-benefit can depend on cooperative relationships and social stability.