By the time a child turns 18 months old they’ll be uttering a few discernable words like mommy, daddy, milk, and whatever else. Most discernable are the words “no” and “mine” along with the physcial act of grabbing items away from others.

It seems that children are born selfish. Considering they are just beginning to understand right-from-wrong, they haven’t learned from others how to be selfish. They just are. Wanting what they want, when they want it. Immediate gratification and short attention span.

Parents and teachers encourage kids to “share” and demonstrate that “we need to be nice” all the while the child is fighting an innate urge to gratify themselves.

Thus, is being selfish an instinct? Should it be changed to ensure that Society runs smoothly?

What about adults that run amok, filled with greed and exploiting others? As children, were their selfish tendencies left unchecked or did adults force them to “be nice and share” to the point of retaliation?

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