Egoism's Toll on Familial Bonds
Some people are driven by such intense selfishness and a loss of an inner moral law that even familial relationships become mere instruments for achieving personal gain. As noted in one source, "every person is a gloomy, irritable being who cannot stand anyone... and seeks to use everyone solely for his own benefit and nothing... neither for children, nor for a spouse, nor for a mother or father—unwilling to sacrifice anything," which indicates a complete absence of love and the capacity for sacrifice ( link txt). This means that when a person is guided exclusively by self-interest, he is willing to destroy even the closest and most important bonds if he sees an opportunity for personal gain.Furthermore, another source emphasizes that those who have lost their internal moral compass and are filled with selfishness are ready to harm even those closest to them if it paves the way for further success: "Those completely imbued with selfishness... they are ready to do harm to anyone who stands in the way of their continued success" ( link txt). It is immediately evident that such an approach to life leads to a deliberate neglect of familial and family responsibilities, as personal gain becomes more important than any interpersonal connection.Moreover, as indicated in yet another statement, when a person "extracts as much benefit for himself as possible... without any thought for the well-being of others," it results in the breakdown of mutual attachments. This approach not only weakens the bond between people but also turns relationships into sources of detachment, bitterness, and mutual repulsion—processes that destroy even family ties ( link txt).Thus, the pursuit of personal gain and an egocentric attitude become the reasons why some people are willing to destroy family relationships even for reachable objectives, without considering the long-term negative consequences for others and for themselves.Supporting citation(s):"People have become, like fallen angels, divided — ... Every person is a gloomy, irritable being who cannot stand anyone... and seeks to use everyone solely for his own benefit... neither for children, nor for a spouse, nor for a mother or father—unwilling to sacrifice anything. In other words, love is completely absent, because love is the ability to sacrifice." (source: link txt)"Occupying sometimes very well-paid positions, ... those completely imbued with selfishness are ready to do harm to everyone who stands in the way of their further success." (source: link txt)"Extract as much personal benefit from him as possible, without any thought for the well-being of others, and then it not only weakens, shakes, and completely breaks the mutual bonds between people..." (source: link txt)