--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He who works for his own interests will…" description: "\"He who works for his own interests will arouse much animosity\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/confucius-164_animosity_he-who-works-for-his-own-interests-will_2178532.jpg" --- # He who works for his own interests will arouse much… ![“He who works for his own interests will arouse much animosity” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/confucius-164_animosity_he-who-works-for-his-own-interests-will_2178532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/confucius-164_animosity_he-who-works-for-his-own-interests-will_2178532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8d1/confucius-164_animosity_he-who-works-for-his-own-interests-will_2178532.jpg) > “He who works for his own interests will arouse much animosity” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing personal gain breeds resentment from others. **In simple terms:** Self‑interest creates hostility. Key Takeaway Consider collective benefit. Themes ethics social harmony self‑interest Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - business decisions - family dynamics - political leadership Key Concepts Confucianism human nature Questions to Reflect On - How does personal ambition affect community trust? - Can self‑interest be balanced with duty? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Animosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/animosity/) [Arouse Animosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arouse-animosity-3087407/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interests/) [Interests Arouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interests-arouse-4695147/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) [Works Interests](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/works-interests-4695148/) ## Related quotes > [A fool cannot be protected from his folly. If you attempt to do so, you will not only arouse his animosity but also you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/a-fool-cannot-be-protected-from-his-folly-if-you-attempt-to-do-so-you/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [“You're mistaking bitter animosity for heartfelt affection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/you-re-mistaking-bitter-animosity-for-heartfelt-affection/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [“The Europeans hate us because we’ve retired to live inside our advertisements, like hermits going into caves to contemplate. We sleep in symbolic bedrooms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/the-europeans-hate-us-because-we-ve-retired-to-live-inside-our/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) > [I've been in and out of Wall Street since 1949, and I've never seen the type of animosity between government and Wall Street. 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"You're mistaking bitter animosity for heartfelt affection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/you-could-start-a-fire-with-the-heat-between-you-two-you-re-mistaking/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [“No matter how powerful hate seems, it cannot usurp the throne of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/no-matter-how-powerful-hate-seems-it-cannot-usurp-the-throne-of-love/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [ \[Football is\] a game that requires the constant conjuring of animosity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/football-is-a-game-that-requires-the-constant-conjuring-of-animosity/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [Where there has been racial hatred, it must be ended. Where there has been tribal animosity, it will be finished. Let us not dwell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomo-kenyatta/where-there-has-been-racial-hatred-it-must-be-ended-where-there-has/) [Jomo Kenyatta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jomo-kenyatta/) > [You look out into the audience and you see so much joy on people's faces. You make eye contact with people who are almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/you-look-out-into-the-audience-and-you-see-so-much-joy-on-people-s/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) > [Life Appears To Be Too Short To Be Spent In Nursing Animosity Or Registering Wrong...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/life-appears-to-be-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [We live in a country where there is a lot of animosity. If your politics is radical it antagonises. People might think I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/we-live-in-a-country-where-there-is-a-lot-of-animosity-if-your/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/better-than-the-one-who-knows-what-is-right-is-the-one-who-loves-what/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. 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The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-study-and-at-times-practice-what-one-has-learned-is-this-not-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recompense-kindness-with-kindness/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is only one thing in life which never changes, and it is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-which-never-changes-and-it-is-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) [Explore all 1,019 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More Animosity quotes > [Life appears to me too short to be spent in nursing animosity, or registering wrongs. With this creed, revenge never worries my heart, degradation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/life-appears-to-me-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [We live in a country where there is a lot of animosity. If your politics is radical it antagonises. People might think I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-jones/we-live-in-a-country-where-there-is-a-lot-of-animosity-if-your/) [Owen Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-jones/) > [Life Appears To Be Too Short To Be Spent In Nursing Animosity Or Registering Wrong...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/life-appears-to-be-too-short-to-be-spent-in-nursing-animosity-or/) [Pacifiersucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pacifiersucker/) > [You look out into the audience and you see so much joy on people's faces. You make eye contact with people who are almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mcvie/you-look-out-into-the-audience-and-you-see-so-much-joy-on-people-s/) [Christine McVie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mcvie/) > [Where there has been racial hatred, it must be ended. Where there has been tribal animosity, it will be finished. Let us not dwell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomo-kenyatta/where-there-has-been-racial-hatred-it-must-be-ended-where-there-has/) [Jomo Kenyatta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jomo-kenyatta/) > [ \[Football is\] a game that requires the constant conjuring of animosity. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-lombardi/football-is-a-game-that-requires-the-constant-conjuring-of-animosity/) [Vince Lombardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-lombardi/) > [“No matter how powerful hate seems, it cannot usurp the throne of love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/no-matter-how-powerful-hate-seems-it-cannot-usurp-the-throne-of-love/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“You could start a fire with the heat between you two." "You're mistaking bitter animosity for heartfelt affection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/you-could-start-a-fire-with-the-heat-between-you-two-you-re-mistaking/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [But if you should take the bond of goodwill out of the universe no house or city could stand, nor would even the tillage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/but-if-you-should-take-the-bond-of-goodwill-out-of-the-universe-no/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [It is extremely interesting to me that black males, and other black folk, are viewed as self-pitying, by either other blacks who have failed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/it-is-extremely-interesting-to-me-that-black-males-and-other-black/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [The second effort was spreading the word among the people, first, in a bid to raise their morale, and second to instil in them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hassan-nasrallah/the-second-effort-was-spreading-the-word-among-the-people-first-in-a/) [Hassan Nasrallah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hassan-nasrallah/) > [I've been in and out of Wall Street since 1949, and I've never seen the type of animosity between government and Wall Street. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-greenspan/i-ve-been-in-and-out-of-wall-street-since-1949-and-i-ve-never-seen/) [Alan Greenspan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-greenspan/) > [“The Europeans hate us because we’ve retired to live inside our advertisements, like hermits going into caves to contemplate. We sleep in symbolic bedrooms,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-isherwood/the-europeans-hate-us-because-we-ve-retired-to-live-inside-our/) [Christopher Isherwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-isherwood/) > [“You're mistaking bitter animosity for heartfelt affection.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/you-re-mistaking-bitter-animosity-for-heartfelt-affection/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [What I learned about acting, from my experiences directing, is why so many producers and directors don't like actors. 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