--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Take the selfishness out of this world…" description: "\"Take the selfishness out of this world and there would be more happiness than we should know what to do with.\" — Josh Billings" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/josh-billings-777_happiness_take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-a_2198053.png" --- # Take the selfishness out of this world and there would be… ![“Take the selfishness out of this world and there would be more happiness than we should know what to do with.” quote by Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/josh-billings-777_happiness_take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-a_2198053.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/josh-billings-777_happiness_take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-a_2198053.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/josh-billings-777_happiness_take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-a_2198053.png) > “Take the selfishness out of this world and there would be more happiness than we should know what to do with.” [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Removing selfishness would create an abundance of happiness beyond our capacity to manage. **In simple terms:** Less selfishness means more happiness. Key Takeaway Practice selflessness daily. Themes ethics happiness society Mood thoughtful optimistic inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - community projects - volunteering - mindful living - policy making Key Concepts altruism psychology of joy Questions to Reflect On - What would a selfless world look like? - How can we balance personal needs with altruism? A Different Perspective Human nature often resists self‑denial, limiting impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“The one whose self-interests (selfishness) in this world goes away, he will become the Absolute Supreme Self (parmatma), provided he does not become intoxicated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/the-one-whose-self-interests-selfishness-in-this-world-goes-away-he/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [“The happiest people in the world are those who give happiness to others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-happiest-people-in-the-world-are-those-who-give-happiness-to/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [Happy people do not demand a lot from the world because their happiness proceeds from a place deeper than the world can touch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cohen/happy-people-do-not-demand-a-lot-from-the-world-because-their/) [Alan Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cohen/) > [I want to live in a world where happiness is given and depression is taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-rodriguez/i-want-to-live-in-a-world-where-happiness-is-given-and-depression-is/) Lillian Rodriguez > [Neither in this world nor else where is there any happiness in store for him who always doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/neither-in-this-world-nor-else-where-is-there-any-happiness-in-store/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You filled my heart with LOVE and my WORLD with HAPPINESS...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naresha/you-filled-my-heart-with-love-and-my-world-with-happiness/) [Naresha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naresha/) > [We can never learn to be brave and strong if the only thing in this world is happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-siso/we-can-never-learn-to-be-brave-and-strong-if-the-only-thing-in-this/) Jerome\_siso > [Too much of the world's happiness depends on taking from one to satisfy another. To increase my standard of living, someone in another part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/too-much-of-the-world-s-happiness-depends-on-taking-from-one-to/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [“It is called happiness that, once it comes, it is not followed by misery (again). Secondly, what people in the world call happiness, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/it-is-called-happiness-that-once-it-comes-it-is-not-followed-by/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [The world is full of happiness, and plenty to go round, if you are only willing to take the kind that comes your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-webster/the-world-is-full-of-happiness-and-plenty-to-go-round-if-you-are-only/) [Jean Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-webster/) > [Master said if you want to be happy no one in the world can take happiness from you; if you want to be unhappy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goswami-kriyananda/master-said-if-you-want-to-be-happy-no-one-in-the-world-can-take/) [Goswami Kriyananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goswami-kriyananda/) > [That's the difference between me and the rest of the world! Happiness isn't good enough for me! I demand euphoria!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/that-s-the-difference-between-me-and-the-rest-of-the-world-happiness/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [The mind is malleable. Our life can be greatly transformed by even a minimal change in how we manage our thoughts and perceive and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/the-mind-is-malleable-our-life-can-be-greatly-transformed-by-even-a/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [There is no such thing as a perfectly happy or perfectly unhappy man in the world. One has more happiness in his life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giacomo-casanova/there-is-no-such-thing-as-a-perfectly-happy-or-perfectly-unhappy-man/) [Giacomo Casanova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giacomo-casanova/) > [When love move our hearts to see what is beyond this world, there is this happiness being felt from within. Love brings happiness which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrisomne-drasse/when-love-move-our-hearts-to-see-what-is-beyond-this-world-there-is/) Chrisomne Drasse ## More by Josh Billings > [It ain't because lovers are so sensitive that they quarrel so often; it is because there is so much fun n the making up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/it-ain-t-because-lovers-are-so-sensitive-that-they-quarrel-so-often/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [There is only one good substitute for the endearments of a sister, and that is the endearments of some other fellow's sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/there-is-only-one-good-substitute-for-the-endearments-of-a-sister-and/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Life is a grindstone, and whether it grinds a man down or polishes him up depends on the stuff he's made of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/life-is-a-grindstone-and-whether-it-grinds-a-man-down-or-polishes-him/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Its harly my dog A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/its-harly-my-dog-a-dog-is-the-only-thing-on-earth-that-loves-you-more/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Perseverance is king.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/perseverance-is-king/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Unless we put heart and soul into our labor we but brutify our actions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/unless-we-put-heart-and-soul-into-our-labor-we-but-brutify-our-actions/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [A secret ceases to be a secret if it is once confided - it is like a dollar bill, once broken, it is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/a-secret-ceases-to-be-a-secret-if-it-is-once-confided-it-is-like-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [If a man is right, he can't be too radical; if he is wrong, he can't be too conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-a-man-is-right-he-can-t-be-too-radical-if-he-is-wrong-he-can-t-be/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [As a general rule, if you want to get at the truth - hear both sides and believe neither.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/as-a-general-rule-if-you-want-to-get-at-the-truth-hear-both-sides-and/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Economy is a savings-bank, into which men drop pennies, and get dollars in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/economy-is-a-savings-bank-into-which-men-drop-pennies-and-get-dollars/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Self-made men are most always apt to be a little too proud of the job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/self-made-men-are-most-always-apt-to-be-a-little-too-proud-of-the-job/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Poverty is one of them kind of misfortunes that we all of us dread but none of us pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/poverty-is-one-of-them-kind-of-misfortunes-that-we-all-of-us-dread/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [If the world despises a hypocrite, what must they think of him in heaven?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/if-the-world-despises-a-hypocrite-what-must-they-think-of-him-in/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [The man who gets bit twice by the same dog is better adapted for that kind of business than any other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-man-who-gets-bit-twice-by-the-same-dog-is-better-adapted-for-that/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) [Explore all 372 Josh Billings quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) ## More Happiness quotes > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Balance suggests a perfect equilibrium. There is no such thing. That is a false expectation… There are going to be priorities and dimensions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-morrison/balance-suggests-a-perfect-equilibrium-there-is-no-such-thing-that-is/) [Denise Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-morrison/) > [“WE CAN'T ALWAYS CONTROL OUR CIRCUMSTANCES BUT WE CAN CONTROL OUR ATTITUDE. WE MUST BE MORE CONCERNED WITH WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT HAPPENS…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-j-ashton/we-can-t-always-control-our-circumstances-but-we-can-control-our/) [MARVIN J. ASHTON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-j-ashton/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Sometimes we wish for the feel but we never understand that we have to give a lot to get the feel !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reynolds/sometimes-we-wish-for-the-feel-but-we-never-understand-that-we-have/) [Robert Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reynolds/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [The happy have whole days,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colley-cibber/the-happy-have-whole-days/) [Colley Cibber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colley-cibber/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I've got nothing to do today but smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ve-got-nothing-to-do-today-but-smile/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Her dignity consists in being unknown to the world; her glory is in the esteem of her husband; her pleasures in the happiness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-jacques-rousseau/her-dignity-consists-in-being-unknown-to-the-world-her-glory-is-in/) [Jean-Jacques Rousseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-jacques-rousseau/) > [The size of a man's understanding might always be justly measured by his mirth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/the-size-of-a-man-s-understanding-might-always-be-justly-measured-by/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Positive thinking evokes more energy, more initiative, more happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/positive-thinking-evokes-more-energy-more-initiative-more-happiness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) Pancho Barnes [Browse all 40,288 Happiness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Take the selfishness out of this world and there would be more happiness than we should know what to do with.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Josh Billings" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-and-there-would-be-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Happiness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-and-there-would-be-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/josh-billings-777_happiness_take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-a_2198053.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/josh-billings-777_happiness_take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-a_2198053.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0c4/josh-billings-777_happiness_take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-a_2198053.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Take the selfishness out of this world and there would be more happiness than we should know what to do with.” — Josh Billings", "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": "Josh Billings", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Take the selfishness out of this...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-and-there-would-be-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/take-the-selfishness-out-of-this-world-and-there-would-be-more/#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 } } ] } ```