--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Not selfishness, but precisely the…" description: "\"Not selfishness, but precisely the absence of a self. Look at them. The man who cheats and lies, but preserves a respectable front. He knows himself to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/ayn-rand-59_absence_not-selfishness-but-precisely-the-absenc_2599213.jpg" --- # Not selfishness, but precisely the absence of a self. Look… ![“Not selfishness, but precisely the absence of a self. Look at them. The man who cheats and lies, but preserves a respectable front. He knows himself to be dishonest, but others think he’s honest and he derives his self-respect from that, second-hand. The man who takes credit for an achievement…” quote by Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/ayn-rand-59_absence_not-selfishness-but-precisely-the-absenc_2599213.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/ayn-rand-59_absence_not-selfishness-but-precisely-the-absenc_2599213.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d60/ayn-rand-59_absence_not-selfishness-but-precisely-the-absenc_2599213.jpg) > “Not selfishness, but precisely the absence of a self. Look at them. The man who cheats and lies, but preserves a respectable front. He knows himself to be dishonest, but others think he’s honest and he derives his self-respect from that, second-hand. The man who takes credit for an achievement which is not his own. He knows himself to be mediocre, but he’s great in the eyes of others.” [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques people who construct self‑esteem from others’ perceptions rather than authentic self‑knowledge, highlighting hypocrisy and false pride. **In simple terms:** Self‑respect based on others’ views is hollow. Key Takeaway Seek genuine self‑awareness. Themes self‑deception authenticity pride Mood reflective critical Type philosophical psychological When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - public image - career advancement Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you differentiate genuine self‑respect from external validation? - What steps can you take to align self‑image with true character? A Different Perspective It ignores the difficulty of confronting one’s own flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Achievement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achievement/) [Credit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/credit/) [Deceit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deceit/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-respect/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“Yes! And isn't that the root of every despicable action? Not selfishness, but precisely the absence of a self. Look at them. 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Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-l-bernstein/) ## More by Ayn Rand > [There are no white lies, there is only the blackest of destruction, and a white lie is the blackest of all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-are-no-white-lies-there-is-only-the-blackest-of-destruction-and/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [She watched the prairies the rivers, the towns slipping past at an untouchable distance below - and she noted that the sense of detachment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/she-watched-the-prairies-the-rivers-the-towns-slipping-past-at-an/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“This was reality, she thought, this sense of clear outlines, of purpose, of lightness, of hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/this-was-reality-she-thought-this-sense-of-clear-outlines-of-purpose/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [A “collective” mind does not exist. 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Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Not selfishness, but precisely the absence of a self. Look at them. The man who cheats and lies, but preserves a respectable front. He knows himself to be dishonest, but others think he’s honest and he derives his self-respect from that, second-hand. The man who takes credit for an achievement which is not his own. 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