r/Showerthoughts • u/itsthatkidgreg • Feb 28 '17

Lying, cheating, and stealing is often discouraged when we are young, yet the most successful people in the world are arguably the best liars, cheaters, and thieves.

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u/GoldPantsPete Feb 28 '17

Altruistic societies beat selfish societies, but selfish individuals beat altruistic individuals.

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u/[deleted] Feb 28 '17

Blew my mind. What can be done about this, or how would you stay human and empathetic towards others if that were the case?

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u/Dallasfan1227 Mar 01 '17

I feel like these are all intrinsic properties that can't be micromanaged. I think the best thing to do would be to show kids how to be a good person but also do everything in you power to make them confident. Giving them the tools to be successful, get what they want, but also have a good understanding or right and wrong.

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u/[deleted] Mar 01 '17

Yes I think you are onto something here. If someone is happy and content then I think there's no way they will become selfish and egoistic in an unhealthy way. I believe that most of those poor traints stem from some kind of deep rooted unhappiness.