Selfishness has become a pervasive social issue, undermining both individual relationships and societal well-being. The primary objective of this study is to employ a didactic approach aimed at mitigating the phenomenon of selfishness. This myopic mindset prioritizes short-term gains (STG) over long-term sustainability (LTS) and collective prosperity. Individuals driven by selfishness often disregard the broader consequences of their actions, diminishing cooperation, empathy, and mutual respect. This self-centered approach to life is a personal flaw that leads to self-destruction for both individuals and societies, undermining the social fabric needed for sustainable development. Team sports illustrate this well; while cooperation is essential for success, a culture of individualism can disrupt team cohesion and sabotage collective goals. The pursuit of personal recognition frequently hampers team success, highlighting the detrimental effects of self-interest in collaborative efforts. When viewed in the context of societal challenges, selfishness might even eclipse deeply rooted divides like racism, tribalism, religious intolerance, and regional biases. While these types of discrimination typically arise from shared group identities, selfishness goes beyond these limits by poisoning the fundamental essence of human connection and concern for one another. Unlike racism or tribalism, which at least have identifiable social or historical roots, selfishness is a more insidious force that undermines efforts toward unity and understanding. Ultimately, love offers the antidote to this pandemic. Love, in its truest sense, encourages selflessness, compassion, and the recognition of shared humanity, fostering cooperation and collective progress. In a world where selfishness thrives, it is genuine love that holds the power to heal, unite, and overcome the divisive forces that threaten our collective well-being. Selfishness, as a widespread issue, is not just a flaw of individuals but a societal problem that impacts almost every facet of contemporary existence. Its proliferation is driven by a cultural and institutional environment that values personal achievement more than the welfare of the community, thereby deepening divisions and inequalities. Recognizing and appreciating our human and environmental interdependence can serve as a catalyst for transformative change, fostering a more harmonious and connected world.
| Published in | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences (Volume 14, Issue 3) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13 |
| Page(s) | 70-79 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2025. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Selfishness, Altruism, Machiavellianism, Psychology, Myopic, Empathy, Otherish
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APA Style
Matagi, S. O. (2025). Selfishness is an Endemic Pandemic: A Systematic and Meta-analysis Review. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, 14(3), 70-79. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13
ACS Style
Matagi, S. O. Selfishness is an Endemic Pandemic: A Systematic and Meta-analysis Review. Psychol. Behav. Sci. 2025, 14(3), 70-79. doi: 10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13
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Download@article{10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13,
author = {Salim Omambia Matagi},
title = {Selfishness is an Endemic Pandemic: A Systematic and Meta-analysis Review
},
journal = {Psychology and Behavioral Sciences},
volume = {14},
number = {3},
pages = {70-79},
doi = {10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.pbs.20251403.13},
abstract = {Selfishness has become a pervasive social issue, undermining both individual relationships and societal well-being. The primary objective of this study is to employ a didactic approach aimed at mitigating the phenomenon of selfishness. This myopic mindset prioritizes short-term gains (STG) over long-term sustainability (LTS) and collective prosperity. Individuals driven by selfishness often disregard the broader consequences of their actions, diminishing cooperation, empathy, and mutual respect. This self-centered approach to life is a personal flaw that leads to self-destruction for both individuals and societies, undermining the social fabric needed for sustainable development. Team sports illustrate this well; while cooperation is essential for success, a culture of individualism can disrupt team cohesion and sabotage collective goals. The pursuit of personal recognition frequently hampers team success, highlighting the detrimental effects of self-interest in collaborative efforts. When viewed in the context of societal challenges, selfishness might even eclipse deeply rooted divides like racism, tribalism, religious intolerance, and regional biases. While these types of discrimination typically arise from shared group identities, selfishness goes beyond these limits by poisoning the fundamental essence of human connection and concern for one another. Unlike racism or tribalism, which at least have identifiable social or historical roots, selfishness is a more insidious force that undermines efforts toward unity and understanding. Ultimately, love offers the antidote to this pandemic. Love, in its truest sense, encourages selflessness, compassion, and the recognition of shared humanity, fostering cooperation and collective progress. In a world where selfishness thrives, it is genuine love that holds the power to heal, unite, and overcome the divisive forces that threaten our collective well-being. Selfishness, as a widespread issue, is not just a flaw of individuals but a societal problem that impacts almost every facet of contemporary existence. Its proliferation is driven by a cultural and institutional environment that values personal achievement more than the welfare of the community, thereby deepening divisions and inequalities. Recognizing and appreciating our human and environmental interdependence can serve as a catalyst for transformative change, fostering a more harmonious and connected world.
},
year = {2025}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Selfishness is an Endemic Pandemic: A Systematic and Meta-analysis Review AU - Salim Omambia Matagi Y1 - 2025/05/14 PY - 2025 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13 DO - 10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13 T2 - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences JF - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences JO - Psychology and Behavioral Sciences SP - 70 EP - 79 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2328-7845 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.pbs.20251403.13 AB - Selfishness has become a pervasive social issue, undermining both individual relationships and societal well-being. The primary objective of this study is to employ a didactic approach aimed at mitigating the phenomenon of selfishness. This myopic mindset prioritizes short-term gains (STG) over long-term sustainability (LTS) and collective prosperity. Individuals driven by selfishness often disregard the broader consequences of their actions, diminishing cooperation, empathy, and mutual respect. This self-centered approach to life is a personal flaw that leads to self-destruction for both individuals and societies, undermining the social fabric needed for sustainable development. Team sports illustrate this well; while cooperation is essential for success, a culture of individualism can disrupt team cohesion and sabotage collective goals. The pursuit of personal recognition frequently hampers team success, highlighting the detrimental effects of self-interest in collaborative efforts. When viewed in the context of societal challenges, selfishness might even eclipse deeply rooted divides like racism, tribalism, religious intolerance, and regional biases. While these types of discrimination typically arise from shared group identities, selfishness goes beyond these limits by poisoning the fundamental essence of human connection and concern for one another. Unlike racism or tribalism, which at least have identifiable social or historical roots, selfishness is a more insidious force that undermines efforts toward unity and understanding. Ultimately, love offers the antidote to this pandemic. Love, in its truest sense, encourages selflessness, compassion, and the recognition of shared humanity, fostering cooperation and collective progress. In a world where selfishness thrives, it is genuine love that holds the power to heal, unite, and overcome the divisive forces that threaten our collective well-being. Selfishness, as a widespread issue, is not just a flaw of individuals but a societal problem that impacts almost every facet of contemporary existence. Its proliferation is driven by a cultural and institutional environment that values personal achievement more than the welfare of the community, thereby deepening divisions and inequalities. Recognizing and appreciating our human and environmental interdependence can serve as a catalyst for transformative change, fostering a more harmonious and connected world. VL - 14 IS - 3 ER -
Center of Excellence for Public Health, Kenya Medical Training College, Karuri, Kenya
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