Selfish Quotes - Page 16

• Love is a virtue; it grows stronger and purer and less selfish by applying it to what it loathes; but theft is a vice involving the slave-idea that one's neighbor is superior to oneself.

  Aleister Crowley

  Love Is, Ideas, Stronger

  Aleister Crowley (1991). “Magick: In Theory and Practice”, Book Sales

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• It's funny. I'm attracted to things that don't have any impact on life. People say I've done a great thing for women. I don't think I have. People say I've given people courage. That makes me feel good, but I don't see how I do that. I think my running is a selfish thing. But it provides the challenge that allows me to feel good about myself. How can I expect to do well in other activities if I don't feel good about myself?

  Joan Benoit

  Running, Thinking, Impact

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• In recent years, many seem to have spent their lives protesting. Perhaps they have felt to do this because they have felt repressed or wished to bring about change or have acted out of selfish reasons, thinking that if they tore the house down they might end up with a shingle.

  James E. Faust

  Change, Thinking, Years

  James E. Faust (1990). “Reach Up for the Light”, Salt Lake City, Utah : Deseret Book Company

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• Absence of gratitude is the mark of the narrow, uneducated mind. It bespeaks a lack of knowledge and the ignorance of self-sufficiency. It expresses itself in ugly egotism and frequently in wanton mischief. We have seen our beaches, our parks, our forests littered with ugly refuse by those who evidently have no appreciation for their beauty. I have driven through thousands of acres of blackened land scourged by a fire evidently set by a careless smoker whose only concern had been the selfish pleasure gained from a cigarette.

  Gordon B. Hinckley

  Beach, Gratitude, Appreciation

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• This, books can do-nor this alone; they give New views to life, and teach us how to live; They soothe the grieved, the stubborn they chastise; Fools they admonish, and confirm the wise. Their aid they yield to all: they never shun The man of sorrow, nor the wretch undone; Unlike the hard, the selfish, and the proud, They fly not sullen from the suppliant crowd; Nor tell to various people various things, But show to subjects, what they show to kings.

  George Crabbe

  Wise, Kings, Book

  George Crabbe, C. T. (1829). “The Poetical Works of George Crabbe, Etc. [With a Portrait and a Prefatory Memoir Signed: C. T.]”, p.29

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• Ultimately there can be no freedom for self unless it is vouchsafed for others; there can be no security where there is fear, and a democratic society presupposes confidence and candor in the relations of men with one another and eager collaboration for the larger ends of life instead of the pursuit of petty, selfish or vainglorious aims.

  Felix Frankfurter

  Freedom, Men, Collaboration

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• The world today speaks a great deal about love, and it is sought by many. But the pure love of Christ differs greatly from what the world thinks of love. Charity never seeks selfish gratification. The pure love of Christ seeks only the eternal growth and joy of others.

  Ezra Taft Benson

  Thinking, Joy, Growth

  Ezra Taft Benson (1988). “The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson”, Bookcraft Pubs

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• When a teacher of the future comes to point out to the youth of America how the highest rewards of intellect and devotion can be gained, he may say to them, not by subtlety and intrigue; not by wire pulling and demagoguery; not by the arts of popularity; not by skill and shiftiness in following expediency; but by being firm in devotion to the principles of manhood and the application of morals and the courage of righteousness in the public life of our country; by being a man without guile and without fear, without selfishness, and with devotion to duty, devotion to his country.

  Elihu Root

  Country, Teacher, Courage

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• Why is it immoral for you to desire, but moral for others to do so? Why is it immoral to produce a value and keep it, but moral to give it away? And if it is not moral for you to keep a value, why is it moral for others to accept it? If you are selfless and virtuous when you give it, are they not selfish and vicious when they take it?

  Ayn Rand

  Giving, Desire, Selfless

  Ayn Rand (1988). “The Ayn Rand Lexicon: Objectivism from A to Z”, p.31, Penguin

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• Every major horror of history was committed in the name of an altruistic motive. Has any act of selfishness ever equalled the carnage perpetrated by disciples of altruism.

  Ayn Rand

  Names, History, Horror

  Ayn Rand (1963). “For the New Intellectual: The Philosophy of Ayn Rand”

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• A liking for truth at any cost is a passion that spares nothing and that nothing resists. It's a vice, at times a comfort, or a selfishness.

  Albert Camus

  Passion, Comfort, Cost

  Albert Camus (1960). “Collected fiction”

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• The act of love . . . is a confession. Selfishness screams aloud, vanity shows off, or else true generosity reveals itself.

  Albert Camus

  Love, Vanity, Generosity

  Albert Camus (2012). “The Fall”, p.65, Vintage

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• We are all making a crown for Jesus out of these daily lives of ours, either a crown of golden, divine love, studded with gems of sacrifice and adoration, or a thorny crown, filled with the cruel briars of unbelief, or selfishness, and sin.

  Aimee Semple McPherson

  Jesus, Sacrifice, Crowns

  Aimee Semple McPherson (2009). “This is That: Personal Experiences Sermons and Writings of Aimee Semple McPherson”, p.573, Wipf and Stock Publishers

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• It is selfishness which is the cause of most of our misery.

  Gordon B. Hinckley

  Selfishness, Causes, Misery

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• A narcissist society, in which each person is busy looking out for number one, can build neither brotherhood nor community. Aren't we glad in this Easter season and in all seasons that Jesus did not selfishly look out for number one? No wonder we have been told, 'Thou shalt have no other gods
  before me,' and this includes self-worship! (Ex. 20:3; emphasis added). One way or another, the grossly selfish will finally be shattered, whimpering, against the jagged, concrete consequences of their selfishness.

  Neal A. Maxwell

  Jesus, Easter, Numbers

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• Satan had two conditions [to his plan]: the first was the denial of agency, and the second, that he would have the honor. In other words, something had to be in it for him. And thus he became the father of lies and selfishness. Taking up one's cross and following the Savior means overcoming selfishness; it is a commitment to serve others. Selfishness is one of the baser human traits, which must be subdued and overcome. We torture our souls when we focus on getting rather than giving.

  James E. Faust

  Lying, Father, Mean

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• The only society that works today is also one founded on mutual respect, on a recognition that we have a responsibility collectively and individually, to help each other on the basis of each other's equal worth. A selfish society is a contradiction in terms.

  Tony Blair

  Responsibility, Today, Recognition

  Tony Blair's speech to Faithworks, www.theguardian.com. March 22, 2005.

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• We don't have selfish guys here, which sometimes leads to problems.

  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

  Basketball, Guy, Problem

  "Chat Transcript: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar". www.nba.com.

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• Under private property, each tries to establish over the other an alien power, so as thereby to find satisfaction of his own selfish need. The increase in the quantity of objects is therefore accompanied by an extension of the realm of the alien powers to which man is subjected, and every new product represents a new potentiality of mutual swindling and mutual plundering.

  Karl Marx

  Power, Men, Trying

  Karl Marx (2012). “Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844”, p.115, Courier Corporation

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• No man will work for your interests unless they are his.

  David Seabury

  Inspirational, Men, Interest

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• In retrospect, all these exercises in self-gratification seem pure fantasy, what Pascal called, licking the earth.

  Malcolm Muggeridge

  Exercise, Earth, Retrospect

  Malcolm Muggeridge (1978). “A twentieth century testimony”, Thomas Nelson Publishers

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• Everywhere I've been, I've been the best player. I love being a leader, and I love being the best. I just want to get better. It's not about being cocky or selfish or anything like that. It's just how I am.

  LeBron James

  Inspirational, Basketball, Cocky

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• If I had children, I would be very selfish. I wouldn't be out doing things. But by not having kids, it makes me freer to travel the world and talk about things I feel are important.

  Linda Blair

  Travel, Children, Kids

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• Everybody wants to talk about NBA players being selfish and arrogant and individuals. But what you saw today was a team bonding and facing adversity and coming out with a big win.

  Kobe Bryant

  Basketball, Team, Adversity

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• Sometimes the coaches tell me to be selfish, but my game won't let me be selfish.

  LeBron James

  Basketball, Games, Sometimes

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