--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I hear someone’s sick, my first…" description: "\"“When I hear someone’s sick, my first thought is selfishly, Better him than me. My second thought is more altruistic: Better him than one of my loved o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/jarod-kintz-2_loved-ones_when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thou_278777.jpg" --- # When I hear someone’s sick, my first thought is selfishly… ![“When I hear someone’s sick, my first thought is selfishly, Better him than me. My second thought is more altruistic: Better him than one of my loved ones.” quote by Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/jarod-kintz-2_loved-ones_when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thou_278777.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/jarod-kintz-2_loved-ones_when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thou_278777.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/jarod-kintz-2_loved-ones_when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thou_278777.jpg) > ““When I hear someone’s sick, my first thought is selfishly, Better him than me. My second thought is more altruistic: Better him than one of my loved ones.”” [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker compares selfish instinct with altruistic concern, noting a hierarchy of empathy that prioritizes self over others, then others over loved ones. **In simple terms:** Selfishness ranks self first, then others, then loved ones. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance self‑interest with genuine care. Themes empathy self‑interest altruism ethical hierarchy Mood reflective thoughtful Type ethical psychological When to use this quote - personal decision making - health crises - family emergencies - community support Key Concepts psychology human behavior moral reasoning Questions to Reflect On - How do you prioritize caring for strangers versus loved ones? - Can selfish thoughts be redirected into constructive action? A Different Perspective Selfish impulses can dominate even when altruism is present. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Altruistic Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altruistic-better-2708841/) [Loved ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-ones/) [Selfishly Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishly-better-2708840/) [Sick Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sick-thought-1714464/) [Thought Altruistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-altruistic-1770448/) [Thought Selfishly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-selfishly-2708839/) ## Related quotes > [I think that both here and in England there are two schools of thought--those who would be altruistic in regard to the Germans, hoping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/i-think-that-both-here-and-in-england-there-are-two-schools-of/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-maupassant/a-sick-thought-can-devour-the-body-s-flesh-more-than-fever-or/) [Guy de Maupassant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-maupassant/) > [I was just so sick. I thought that orange juice was going to make me fat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/i-was-just-so-sick-i-thought-that-orange-juice-was-going-to-make-me/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [I don't want to be in front of the camera forever. I'm not thirsty. I'm not a pop star. I don't want to reign…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fka-twigs/i-don-t-want-to-be-in-front-of-the-camera-forever-i-m-not-thirsty-i-m/) [FKA twigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fka-twigs/) > [I'm not thirsty. I'm not a pop star. I don't want to reign over all forever... I don't want to be famous! It makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fka-twigs/i-m-not-thirsty-i-m-not-a-pop-star-i-don-t-want-to-reign-over-all/) [FKA twigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fka-twigs/) > [“To think that there is no life outside of the world is actually an extremely sick thought, a disease! So what is this disease?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/to-think-that-there-is-no-life-outside-of-the-world-is-actually-an/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [How sick i am! that thought Always comes to me with horror. Is it this strange for everybody? But such fugitive feelings have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-ginsberg/how-sick-i-am-that-thought-always-comes-to-me-with-horror-is-it-this/) [Allen Ginsberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-ginsberg/) > [“Since she seen Fortune head in that big pot Miss Lydia say that room make her feel ill, sick with the thought of boiling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-nelson/since-she-seen-fortune-head-in-that-big-pot-miss-lydia-say-that-room/) [Marilyn Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-nelson/) > [I used to build you up, to watch you tear me down Id always let you in and let you kick me out You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brooklyn-chancexd-d/i-used-to-build-you-up-to-watch-you-tear-me-down-id-always-let-you-in/) [Brooklyn ChanceXD :D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brooklyn-chancexd-d/) > [“Sometimes she'd go a whole day without thinking of him or missing him. Why not? She had quite a full life, and really, he'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/sometimes-she-d-go-a-whole-day-without-thinking-of-him-or-missing-him/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“But he was not sick there. He thought that he was sick in his heart if you could be sick in that place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/but-he-was-not-sick-there-he-thought-that-he-was-sick-in-his-heart-if/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. To have to worry about your loved ones and still try and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-have-a-tremendous-amount-of-respect-for-military-families-to-have/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Don't let anything holds you back, not even your loved ones. YOU must keep moving forward, NOT backwards!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia/don-t-let-anything-holds-you-back-not-even-your-loved-ones-you-must/) [Mia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia/) > [When people go get chemo, they're not injecting themselves with will - I have lost various loved ones to cancer, and I certainly don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/when-people-go-get-chemo-they-re-not-injecting-themselves-with-will-i/) [Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/) ## More by Jarod Kintz > [“I notice when you’re gone. Or do I? How can I observe something that isn’t there?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-notice-when-you-re-gone-or-do-i-how-can-i-observe-something-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I wouldn’t love you if you were the last Sodomite in Gomorrah.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wouldn-t-love-you-if-you-were-the-last-sodomite-in-gomorrah/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“A blanket could be used to make sweet, sweet music with the love of your life. Hopefully that person is me, because I’ve been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-blanket-could-be-used-to-make-sweet-sweet-music-with-the-love-of/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“A brick could be used to slow down time. Sort of like a camel in a wheelchair pushed by a thirsty Arab. Hey, Khalid,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/a-brick-could-be-used-to-slow-down-time-sort-of-like-a-camel-in-a/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“We have a love so pure that it makes snow seem yellow. (Don’t eat it!)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/we-have-a-love-so-pure-that-it-makes-snow-seem-yellow-don-t-eat-it/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I hid Mrs. Frozenwater’s body in the ice cube trays in my freezer. Better to keep her there than let her memory thaw out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-hid-mrs-frozenwater-s-body-in-the-ice-cube-trays-in-my-freezer/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Two similar words might lead to two similar ideas. They might also lead to the basement, which I recently converted into a dungeon/torture chamber.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/two-similar-words-might-lead-to-two-similar-ideas-they-might-also/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Nothing is and isn’t; nothing is and isn’t—nothing itself is, and at the same time, nothing isn’t.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-is-and-isn-t-nothing-itself-is-and-at/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Embossed letters represent the topography of typography.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/embossed-letters-represent-the-topography-of-typography/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“There’s only one piece of clothing I could eat fast, and that’s a scarf.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/there-s-only-one-piece-of-clothing-i-could-eat-fast-and-that-s-a-scarf/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Dora J. Arod is to Jarod Ora, as yes is to yes. Yes is also the correct answer to “Will you marry me?” Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/dora-j-arod-is-to-jarod-ora-as-yes-is-to-yes-yes-is-also-the-correct/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“The best part about being kidnapped is being blindfolded and getting kicked into the trunk of a car. Boy, normally I have to beg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-best-part-about-being-kidnapped-is-being-blindfolded-and-getting/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Orafoura once told me that if I were a car, I’d be a Ferrari. One that was scratched smashed, rusted, and stolen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/orafoura-once-told-me-that-if-i-were-a-car-i-d-be-a-ferrari-one-that/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“What makes a good leader? I ask myself this every day, and then as I begin to list off characteristics I realize I’m describing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/what-makes-a-good-leader-i-ask-myself-this-every-day-and-then-as-i/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I’d like to file a missing person’s report—on my clone. It’s nearly 2012. He should have been here by now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-d-like-to-file-a-missing-person-s-report-on-my-clone-it-s-nearly/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) [Explore all 6,921 Jarod Kintz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) ## More Loved ones quotes > [When people go get chemo, they're not injecting themselves with will - I have lost various loved ones to cancer, and I certainly don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-c-hall/when-people-go-get-chemo-they-re-not-injecting-themselves-with-will-i/) [Michael C. Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-c-hall/) > [Don't let anything holds you back, not even your loved ones. YOU must keep moving forward, NOT backwards!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia/don-t-let-anything-holds-you-back-not-even-your-loved-ones-you-must/) [Mia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I have a tremendous amount of respect for military families. To have to worry about your loved ones and still try and live a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-have-a-tremendous-amount-of-respect-for-military-families-to-have/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [It's 25th December! May God bless you and your loved ones the whole year round! Have a Joyous Christmas!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-25th-december-may-god-bless-you-and-your-loved-ones-the-whole/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love makes you a singer love makes you a poet love makes you a fighter love makes you a forgiver love makes you a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/love-makes-you-a-singer-love-makes-you-a-poet-love-makes-you-a/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [“When we understand the illusory nature of life and the profound power of eternal love, which enables us to create miracles and experience the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-barbara-apollon/when-we-understand-the-illusory-nature-of-life-and-the-profound-power/) [Susan Barbara Apollon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-barbara-apollon/) > [The pop culture has become more frenetic. There are more forces at work that are far more invasive. However, I think it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/the-pop-culture-has-become-more-frenetic-there-are-more-forces-at/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [“How was Gengo to know, Saigyo reflected, that this unheroic existence imposed even greater torment than the icy lashings of the Nachi Falls in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiji-yoshikawa/how-was-gengo-to-know-saigyo-reflected-that-this-unheroic-existence/) [Eiji Yoshikawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiji-yoshikawa/) > [“People, I thought, wanted security. They couldn’t bare the idea of death being a big black nothing, couldn’t bear the thought of their loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/people-i-thought-wanted-security-they-couldn-t-bare-the-idea-of-death/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“One of the reasons why most relationships struggle is because we salute the problem more than standing besides our loved ones. We honor the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tavonga-vutabwashe/one-of-the-reasons-why-most-relationships-struggle-is-because-we/) [Tavonga Vutabwashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tavonga-vutabwashe/) > [On September 11th, 2001, our world changed. As we remember 9/11 and those who lost their lives and loved ones, remember the world will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-september-11th-2001-our-world-changed-as-we-remember-9-11-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The last four years have not diluted the memory or weakened the resolve of our citizens. Four years later, our hearts still hurt for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-doolittle/the-last-four-years-have-not-diluted-the-memory-or-weakened-the/) [John Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-doolittle/) > [I'm in this sport to change my life. I'm in this sport to change my parents' lives and the loved ones around me. That's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aljamain-sterling/i-m-in-this-sport-to-change-my-life-i-m-in-this-sport-to-change-my/) [Aljamain Sterling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aljamain-sterling/) [Browse all 1,583 Loved ones quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved-ones/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When I hear someone’s sick, my first thought is selfishly, Better him than me. My second thought is more altruistic: Better him than one of my loved ones.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jarod Kintz" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thought-is-selfishly-better-him/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Loved ones" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thought-is-selfishly-better-him/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/jarod-kintz-2_loved-ones_when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thou_278777.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/jarod-kintz-2_loved-ones_when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thou_278777.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7e/jarod-kintz-2_loved-ones_when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thou_278777.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I hear someone’s sick, my first thought is selfishly, Better him than me. My second thought is more…” — Jarod Kintz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jarod Kintz", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“When I hear someone’s sick, my...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thought-is-selfishly-better-him/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/when-i-hear-someone-s-sick-my-first-thought-is-selfishly-better-him/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```