--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Selfishness is like a disease that…" description: "\"Selfishness is like a disease that suffocates our capacity to love. While love asks us to deny ourselves for the sake of another, selfishness demands w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/stephen-kendrick-12724_capacity_selfishness-is-like-a-disease-that-suffo_1890704.png" --- # Selfishness is like a disease that suffocates our capacity… ![“Selfishness is like a disease that suffocates our capacity to love. While love asks us to deny ourselves for the sake of another, selfishness demands we put ourselves first at their expense. When we choose to be self-centered, we become less kind and content—more needy, sensitive, and demanding…” quote by Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/stephen-kendrick-12724_capacity_selfishness-is-like-a-disease-that-suffo_1890704.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/stephen-kendrick-12724_capacity_selfishness-is-like-a-disease-that-suffo_1890704.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/stephen-kendrick-12724_capacity_selfishness-is-like-a-disease-that-suffo_1890704.png) > “Selfishness is like a disease that suffocates our capacity to love. While love asks us to deny ourselves for the sake of another, selfishness demands we put ourselves first at their expense. When we choose to be self-centered, we become less kind and content—more needy, sensitive, and demanding. More unsatisfiable. Moodiness and impatience, laziness and irresponsibility, are only selfishness in disguise.” [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Selfishness erodes love, making us less kind, more demanding, and emotionally unstable. **In simple terms:** Selfishness harms love and kindness. Key Takeaway Prioritize others to nurture love. Themes love selfishness kindness emotional health Mood reflective somber Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - teamwork - family life - community service Key Concepts psychology ethics interpersonal dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does selfishness affect your relationships? - What steps can you take to shift focus outward? A Different Perspective Selfishness may stem from unmet needs, not just moral failing. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Capacity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity/) [Capacity to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/capacity-to-love/) [Demand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demand/) [Deny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deny/) [Disease](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disease/) [Disguise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disguise/) [Expenses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expenses/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Impatience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impatience/) [Irresponsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresponsibility/) [Irresponsibility Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/irresponsibility-selfishness-2728305/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Laziness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laziness/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Moodiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moodiness/) [Needy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needy/) [Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake/) [Sake Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake-selfishness-2728306/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self centered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-centered/) [Selfishness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness/) [Selfishness Demands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness-demands-2728304/) [Selfishness Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/selfishness-like-453619/) [Sensitive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sensitive/) ## Related quotes > [Selflessness is like waiting in a hospital In a badly-fitting suit on a cold wet morning. Selfishness is like listening to good jazz With…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-larkin/selflessness-is-like-waiting-in-a-hospital-in-a-badly-fitting-suit-on/) [Philip Larkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-larkin/) > [“little children never get frozen by their selfishness. Like the disciples, they come just as they are, totally self-absorbed. They seldom get it right.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-miller/little-children-never-get-frozen-by-their-selfishness-like-the/) [Paul Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-miller/) > [An inextricable relationship between the foolishness and the selfishness is like that of an egg and a chicken. No one knows which came first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/an-inextricable-relationship-between-the-foolishness-and-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Art of selfishness. 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We are commissioned to love, teach and train them up for successful adulthood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/children-are-god-s-homework-assignment-to-parents-we-are-commissioned/) [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) > [“He created us to love Him, and something unexplainably beautiful happens when we direct all of who we are at delighting in all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/he-created-us-to-love-him-and-something-unexplainably-beautiful/) [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) > [Often parents have a great desire and hopes, and aspirations for their kids but they don't have any practical plans of action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kendrick/often-parents-have-a-great-desire-and-hopes-and-aspirations-for-their/) [Stephen Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kendrick/) > [Love chooses to believe the best about people. 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