Selfishness – Unfortunately human beings are fairly selfish by nature. We tend to be greedy and pleasure driven. “Why would I sacrifice any of my hard earned money today on preparedness when I could buy a new car?” This trait can easily be illustrated by the classic Aesop’s Fable, “The Grasshopper and the Ant.”
The ant works all spring, summer, and fall to prepare for the coming winter, while the grasshopper spends his time lazing about in the sun, chiding the ant for his work and enjoying every minute of it thinking the good weather will last forever. This trait is perhaps the most difficult to overcome as most people will have the “I won’t sacrifice today’s pleasure for only the possibility of future return.” This often results in the absolute denial of the possibility of a coming disaster.
Selfishness for most is a lifestyle and a state of mind that has been engrained into people and this makes it an extremely difficult barrier to cross. This is a lifestyle change that forces you to focus your attention on someone other than yourself. One key thing to remember is that if you are selfish you will end up alone, and after a crisis being alone is just as bad or worse than being unprepared.
Check out these related articles from our site:
The Psychology of Survival – Why Your Mind Matters Most
Psychology of Survival: Arrogance
Psychology of Survival: Fear and Despair
