Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-02
THOUGHT SELFISHNESS.
By Ruth Cameron.

When we speak Of selfishness we are
apt to think first OF selfishness about
material things, but the more / study
human nature the more l become con-
WINGED that this is the least common and
the least harmful kind Of se.fishness.
There are SO many other kinds of selfish
ness that spoil more happiness than this
variety. For instance. there is the
selfshness of the person who is never
amiable unless he holds the center of the
stage; the selfishness of the person who
is generous enough about material things,
but Unfortunately greedy about having his
own way: the selfiShneSS of the person
who allows tendency, such as habit
of worrying. to spoil half the family
happiness, and then there is thought
selfShness.
1t was that last variety that starred
me phlosophizinG on this subject. BY
Observation-Disclosures ] mean tho habit OF
being ungenerous with ones thoughts.
l know a man who has very interesting
thoughts. He has d keen sense OF humor,
an unusual fund Of information and a
habit of observation. When he sees mt
to talk-really talk, | mean. not just say
the absolutely necessary things-he al
most always has something interesting
to say But unless he is in very gra-
cious mood. he will often sit perfectly
silent, ignoring the conversation. and
thinking his own interesting thoughts 10
himself
Now, I believe that that man is selfish
when he does this. He owes the world
the benefit of his intelligence, and he is
| just as stingy and misery when he sits
there boarding his thoughts as the mlser
counting his gold.
This man Is an exaggerated example OF
this type, but l know great many men
and women who are thought-selfish In
one way or another. There IS the man
| who eats his breakfast in stolid silence.
broken only by occasional requests for
more food. His wife tries to draw him
out. but he is absorbed in his own
| thoughts. There are many things which
he might say that would give her some
| thing to think about during the day, but
| he is simply too lazy to put his thoughts
| into words.
Then there is the son or daughter who
comes home at night from an interesting
day at school or work, with half dozen
| things in his or her mind that would in
terest or divert the house-bound mother,
and vet does not take the trouble to tel
them to her.
The man who does not credit other peo-
pie with sense Of humor. and so smiles
| to himself when anything amuSeS him, Is
another member of this species. No one
| has a right to keep anything clearly
amusing to himself. Pass 1t on. The
poor old earth must borrow Its mirth,
you know. II you have any to lend, do
not be misery with it.
The man who reads the morning news
paper and does not pass on the bits Of
news that he thinks would be interest
| ing to his family certainly is thought
selfish and also the person who gets a
letter and does not communicate those
parts of 1t which are communicable and
of general interest,
-Encommunicative people often
praised and admired. To be sure, the
person who chatters continually about
nothing is bore; but the person who has
something to chatter about and doesn't
chatters is also bore: and, what is more
| than that, he II selfish. Don't you think
SO?