What is the opposite of selfish?
Which word makes a better answer; Unselfish or Selfless?
A friend of mine asked me recently about some perfume he was buying for his wife. The question sounded innocent enough but I know my friend better than that. He wanted to know what I thought about what defines selfishness and unselfishness when it comes to gift giving. “Is it selfish of me to give my wife a perfume that I really like? It’s pretty expensive.”
That question got me thinking about the definitions (and nuances of definition) of a few words; selfish, unselfish and selfless.
Is unselfish and selfless the same thing?
Can a person be selfish and selfless?
Can a person be generous and selfish?
Can a selfless act have selfish motives?
Can an unselfish act have selfish motives?
I have some thoughts on the matter and some ways to think it through but I am curious about what you think. Click below and leave your comments. I will post some of the best ones along with my on thoughts in a subsequent posting in the next few days.
Unselfish is merely a negation of selfish. Okay, so I'm not selfish, so what? Am I living for others? That is what defines selfless. You and I are on a long walk through the hills and we come upon an apple tree with only one apple on it. I see it first. Darwin says the apple is mine. Now, being unselfish, I offer you half of the apple. Being selfless might mean that I ignore the growing hunger in my own belly and give the whole thing over to you because I remember you mentioning earlier that you (quite foolishly) left the house without breakfast. An oversimplification, I know. There is a better example: Jesus. See how Paul described His selfless act in Philippians 2:4-8.
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