A. S. Byatt Quotes

I don't know if it's ever OK for someone to be selfish. Perhaps there's a time and place to be self-centered, but I think selfish never wins the race.

I think I'm still figuring out how to be a little less selfish.

That good disposition which boasts of being most tender is often stifled by the least urging of self-interest.

Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, 'What's in it for me?'

We are so happy to advise others that occasionally we even do it in their interest.

We are selfish when we are exclusively or predominantly concerned with the good for ourselves. We are altruistic when we are exclusively or predominantly concerned with the good of others.

We have to humble ourselves and the way you do that is by serving other people.

If any civilization is to survive, it is the morality of altruism that men have to reject.

When you go out there and do the things you're supposed to do, people view you as selfish.

My mother wasn't a very patient woman. If I complained about being lonely or bored, she'd tell me to go help someone, anyone. To this day, when I start feeling sorry for myself, I look for a good deed to do.

There is a difference between being self-interested and being selfish. I will never be selfish.

I always want to be a person who challenges herself to be a better person and spends her time giving rather than receiving.

My personal philosophy is that people should be extremely selfish for the first half of their life and extremely unselfish for the second half because then they can do the most good.

I want to be more selfless and look outward.

Those who slog with the intent to bring happiness to others will always be liked.

I want to be that person who could sacrifice everything for others.

The virtues are lost in self-interest as rivers are lost in the sea.

Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.

Self-interest is but the survival of the animal in us. Humanity only begins for man with self-surrender.

Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight: always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?

Self-sacrifice enables us to sacrifice other people without blushing.

He who doesn't consider himself is seldom considerate of others.

There's no such thing as altruism.

I've always been attracted to girls whose hearts are the biggest thing about them. People can be very sweet and kind to others who can do a lot for them. I want to find a girl who will be the same person to those who can't do anything for her in return.

Improv requires one thing I lack that I think most mothers need - the basic instinct to put someone else first.