--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am selfish — you have already said so…" description: "\"“I am selfish — you have already said so— and as a selfish man I think not of what others would do in my situation, but of what I intend doing myself. ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8a/alexandre-dumas-436_independent-thinking_i-am-selfish-you-have-already-said-so-an_2553320.jpg" --- # I am selfish — you have already said so— and as a selfish… ![“I am selfish — you have already said so— and as a selfish man I think not of what others would do in my situation, but of what I intend doing myself. Alexandre Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo (Kindle Locations 11677-11678).” quote by Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8a/alexandre-dumas-436_independent-thinking_i-am-selfish-you-have-already-said-so-an_2553320.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8a/alexandre-dumas-436_independent-thinking_i-am-selfish-you-have-already-said-so-an_2553320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8a/alexandre-dumas-436_independent-thinking_i-am-selfish-you-have-already-said-so-an_2553320.jpg) > ““I am selfish — you have already said so— and as a selfish man I think not of what others would do in my situation, but of what I intend doing myself. Alexandre Dumas. The Count of Monte Cristo (Kindle Locations 11677-11678).”” [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A selfish perspective focuses on personal intent rather than predicting others' actions, emphasizing self‑directed purpose. **In simple terms:** Self‑interest means planning your own actions, not guessing others'. Key Takeaway Own your intentions, ignore others' expectations. Themes self‑interest personal agency decision‑making Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - career planning - relationship negotiations - ethical dilemmas - personal goal setting Key Concepts existentialism individualism egoism Questions to Reflect On - How does focusing on self affect your relationships? - When is selfishness justified? A Different Perspective Self‑centered thinking may neglect social responsibilities or empathy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alexandre-dumas-227439/) [Count Monte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/count-monte-1540304/) [Count Of Monte Cristo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/count-of-monte-cristo/) [Independent thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/independent-thinking/) [Monte cristo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/monte-cristo/) [Said Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-selfish-599437/) [Selfish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish/) [Selfish Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-man/) [Selfish Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfish-said-1445988/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) ## Related quotes > [“The Count of Monte Cristo,' which I had seen James O'Neill play that winter, was by the only Alexandre Dumas I knew. This play,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/the-count-of-monte-cristo-which-i-had-seen-james-o-neill-play-that/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [“I never play, because I am not rich enough to afford to lose or poor enough to want to win. 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I loved Nancy Drew books and Tom Swift - never the Hardy Boys - but I also read Dumas,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-larson/i-was-a-promiscuous-reader-i-loved-nancy-drew-books-and-tom-swift/) [Erik Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-larson/) > [“So I have 8 to 10 screenplays written and unproduced. And frankly, some of them are my favorite stories. I have a Western version…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/so-i-have-8-to-10-screenplays-written-and-unproduced-and-frankly-some/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [“The book was The Count of Monte Cristo. I held it up, needing to make a joke, needing to do anything to make this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/the-book-was-the-count-of-monte-cristo-i-held-it-up-needing-to-make-a/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [I think 'The Musketeers' is probably the Dumas novel people are most familiar with, or if not that, it's 'The Count Of Monte Cristo'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-burke/i-think-the-musketeers-is-probably-the-dumas-novel-people-are-most/) [Tom Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-burke/) ## More by Alexandre Dumas > [“What is the sense in recriminations about things over which the will of God itself is powerless? God can change the future, He cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/what-is-the-sense-in-recriminations-about-things-over-which-the-will/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [There is no friendship that cares about an overheard secret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/there-is-no-friendship-that-cares-about-an-overheard-secret/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [Darling, replied Valentine, has not the count just told us that all human wisdom was contained in these two words,- "Wait and hope"?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/darling-replied-valentine-has-not-the-count-just-told-us-that-all/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“when you have the honour to find yourself in the company of ordinary men and the good fortune to be out of politics for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/when-you-have-the-honour-to-find-yourself-in-the-company-of-ordinary/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“He rose in his turn, and seizing handfuls of confetti and sweetmeats, with which the carriage was filled, cast them with all the force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/he-rose-in-his-turn-and-seizing-handfuls-of-confetti-and-sweetmeats/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“A man is always in a hurry to be happy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/a-man-is-always-in-a-hurry-to-be-happy/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Speak on, madame, speak on, Queen," said Buckingham; "the sweetness of your voice covers the harshness of your words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/speak-on-madame-speak-on-queen-said-buckingham-the-sweetness-of-your/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“On the 24th of February, 1810, the look-out at Notre-Dame de la Garde signalled the three-master, the Pharaon from Smyrna, Trieste, and Naples.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/on-the-24th-of-february-1810-the-look-out-at-notre-dame-de-la-garde/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“what despair to see a woman one loves longing for those thousand nothings from which women compose their happiness, and to be unable to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/what-despair-to-see-a-woman-one-loves-longing-for-those-thousand/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Here is a man who was resigned to his fate, who was walking to the scaffold and about to die like a coward, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/here-is-a-man-who-was-resigned-to-his-fate-who-was-walking-to-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [I am not proud, but I am happy; and happiness blinds, I think, more than pride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/i-am-not-proud-but-i-am-happy-and-happiness-blinds-i-think-more-than/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [For there are two distinct sorts of ideas: Those that proceed from the head and those that emanate from the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/for-there-are-two-distinct-sorts-of-ideas-those-that-proceed-from-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Besides, what is required of a young man in Paris? 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