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Being Selfish
Being Selfish

Learn English meaning of 'being selfish'

Date: Jul 10 2019

Themes: Health

Grammar: Split Infinitives

Intro

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In 2009, Taylor Swift won an award for making the best female music video of the year. But when she went to talk about it, Kanye West jumped up and started talking before her. Kanye said that Beyonce should have won the award. Instead of letting Taylor Swift enjoy winning, Kanye West decided to be selfish.

One of the first things we learn at a young age is that it is important to care for other people and share our things. We make more friends by being nice and considerate to people. But some people don’t share or care about other people’s feelings. This is called being selfish.

Marni has a friend who is being self-centered. Find out Brian’s advice for her in today’s English lesson about bad behavior.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Brian

Brian

Marni:  I have a friend who is being so selfish. And I don’t really think that she understands how hurtful her behavior is being right now.

Brian:  Is she kind of trapped in her own world?

Marni:  She’s usually not a very self-centered person. But she is taking a stance and she will not budge. I just think as an adult you need to take everyone’s feelings into consideration and not be so one-sided.

Brian:  Yeah, unfortunately it seems like you want to be there for her and her needs. But at the same time, you don’t want it to have a ripple effect and make you grumpy and angry, and just make the situation worse.

Marni:  Yeah. Take other people’s feelings into consideration. It’s not just about you.

Brian:  The best advice I have is to just act caring towards her. And that’ll make her feel like she’s being listened to. And that’s probably all she really wants.

Marni:  Alright, perhaps I should be more considerate. Alright, I’ll take your advice.

 

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Discussion

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Marni has a friend who is being selfish. She is being very self-centered and isn’t thinking about other people’s feelings. This makes Marni sad, but Brian talks to her and Marni agrees she should be more considerate.

Brian thinks Marni’s friend might be trapped in her own world. Brian thinks it’s a difficult situation, because it wouldn’t be good to create a ripple effect and make Marni grumpy. Brian says his best advice is to just act caring towards your friends.

Do you know anybody who is selfish? How do you act around them?

 

Comments

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mandzhi

mandzhi

Russian Federation

Selfishness is a bad kind of people. Of coure I know and knew someone who is selfish, but i try not to keep in touch with them. They usually trapped in their own world and they a self-centered. I don’t like it and sometimes it makes me grumpy too. So i think they should change their behavior, and try to think about others too

02:31 PM Jul 04 2015 |

1 person likes this

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

Selfishness exists deep in each of us, it’s in human nature that everyone wants to be the best, some even want to go the distance over others’ shoulders which is the nastiest form of selfishness.



I would say I know someone who is really ambitious and I really admire her because she’s persistent and has a goal to achieve, she wants to be someone. I can’t say she’s self-centered, because she’s not inconsiderate, but she’s kind of trapped in her own world because she got plans for herself and I think no shame in that.

12:21 PM Jul 02 2015 |

s11211s

s11211s

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Normally everyone is a bit selfish, the problem is with so selfish people, sometimes I think they are blind to see the other people, they just see themselves and they have been imprisoned in their own world. They don’t care about emotions and benefits of other people.


To Act caring towards them in my opinion is not the best behavior toward this manner it just help to increase this bad behavior in society.


I know being patient with them is so hard, but the best way to react I think it is and talking friendly if we can, with them about aspects of their actions, directly or indirectly.

07:58 AM Jul 02 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



The new family is much quieter and saner than the previous one, Ola33. And our children are sleeping peacefully now. 


Thanks for asking. 



04:51 AM Jul 02 2015 |

S&W

S&W

China

I won’t to be friend with a selfish person.Because i am too selfish,Oh,absolutely not,i am kidding.Everyone wanna to make a friend who is very considerate,patient.It is too tired to be friend with a selfish person.

11:59 PM Jul 01 2015 |

lostpoem

lostpoem

Turkey

Selfish people lose their friends sooner or later. people who want everything for theirselves finally stay alone .Their happiness is temporarily coz they always think theirselves,their benefits,their egos.they never know reall happiness come from being generous.

11:19 PM Jul 01 2015 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Shona, how’re the new ones? Better? Less selfish? Quiet?

08:27 PM Jul 01 2015 |

1 person likes this

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



As we all tend to be selfish at one time or another I normally don’t take it seriously when someone behaves in a selfish way. 


But it’s really difficult not to get annoyed when people go beyond their limit. For example, we had a very weird family in the neighborhood once. They were so selfish and inconsiderate about the people around them and often made our nights hideous by their late night parties. Since it was difficult to get the babies to sleep some of us tried to talk some sense into them. But it was like talking to a brick wall, had no effect at all! 


I was really relieved when they moved out a few months ago. 



gopi123

India

In this story  brian is a selfish person. Because he did not understood the other people feelings that’s why brian  being selfish.

03:32 PM Jul 01 2015 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Wow, Kayney West, see you did it 6 years ago, jumping up in front of Taylor Swift and spoiling the day for her, record in history and still remembered. Anyway, I forgot about it, even when hear with delight Kayney’s old songs shared by a neighbour:) I don’t take selfishness serious—we’re not angels, so it’s better to budge, move on and bring up the best in people- that’s caring. The sharing question is not that bad as well. Some share in tons their own photos, some share in tons their opinions like what I’m doing now:) But, please think twice before making a verdict – Selfish!!! :)

01:23 PM Jul 01 2015 |

qazal24iran

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

thank you for this point

09:18 AM Jul 01 2015 |

1 person likes this

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Fotunately, I don’t have selfish friends. I know some selfish people but they are not my friends. Sometimes people migh act selfish not on purpuse and that’s OK. all we need to do is to be patient and considerae but some people are just selfish all the time and I have no patience for those. 

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