Consequences of Selfishness

Author's Note: This is a response analyzing this quote:

"There were thousands of Kantoreks , all of whom were convinced that they were acting for the best – in a way that cost them nothing.

And that is why they let us down so badly."

I wanted to analyze both the message and the way it was delivered, and hope I did so well.

Mankind has in its nature a rather selfish aspect; he often believes, especially in times of crisis, that what is good for him is good for everyone. He forgets that others might be affected differently and he acts without remembering them. This can cause others great harm, in disasters such as war especially. Paul’s quote illustrates the self-interest that all men revert to when threatened and lets the reader hear the thoughts of a soldier affected by that egocentrism. This sentiment is not shown only through the words Paul writes, however. By stopping his thought and breaking to a new line before stating his disappointment, he hints at the subtle way that self-interest can affect others. The effects of Kantorek’s influence came slowly, creeping along and pretending to be logical, to be the right thing to do. The problem was, Kantorek wanted only to be seen as courageous, brave, strong. His selfishness led the boys who followed him into a deadly situation they couldn’t escape: the maws of war. They didn’t see it coming until it was upon them, pinning them down in a living hell, just as Paul’s reaction is sudden and harsh.

The effects of selfishness can be seen nearly everywhere – in government, in work, in family. It is a timeless problem with timeless consequences and will be around as long as man is. The Watergate Scandal is a prime example of this. Nixon wanted to keep his power, both in money and in presidency, and he followed what he thought was the best path to doing so. He ignored the possible consequences of being discovered and as a result threw America into fear and near chaos. He never gave thought to the effect discovering a corrupt president could have on America and its people until it was too late. But even small lapses can have an effect on many people. A teenager who decides to drink at a party forgets all the others who might be affected. When they are caught, their mother and father are humiliated and ashamed of their parenting, their siblings share the bad reputation, and their friends no longer know who they are. Thinking before doing, looking before leaping is necessary in keeping those around you from being hurt.