The world isplagued with poverty, disease, drugs, crime and ignorance. Yet, the mostdestructive is selfishness. People think, work and make decisions based only onwhat they want.

People live as if the effects of their decisions are notimportant. All that's important is one's success, comfort and pleasure. If thatmeans destroying others, too bad. What's worse is that most look the other waybecause they want self-gain, too.

Corporations are notorious for this.Success is what matters. If you walk into a board meeting, you will see thatpeople are not the decision-makers: money, potential profit, stocks, sales andeven evaluations of each employee rule. Every day there are layoffs, foreclosuresand even evictions in the name of profit and personal gain.

The public isguilty of selfishness, too. When we vote, buy or make decisions, we are notthinking of global warming, future generations, or the homeless, rather we'reonly thinking of ourselves. There is not one person completely free of this sin.People need to focus their decisions on the good of the whole group, not justfamily, a few friends, or a select group.

The world could accomplish somuch if countries, groups and even families weren't pitted against eachother.

Perhaps the worst example of selfishness is when parents put theirinterests before their child's well-being. One can often see a struggling childescorted by an adult wearing Tommy Hilfiger, driving a new car. They are notgiven enough to be healthy, happy children and as they grow and need more, theyusually do not get it. Of course, other children see only the lack of name-brandclothes, expensive school supplies, toys and proper attention. As a result thesestudents are often excluded from "the group." In high school, theseteens cannot afford cars, field trips or extra-curricular activities. As aresult, they do not care and grow up determined to do better and run overeveryone who gets in their way. It is a vicious cycle.

The focus of peopleshould be everyone. This vicious cycle of destruction must end. Selfishness is atthe root of most of the world's wrongs. If everyone would just try to makedecisions that are good for the whole community, it would be enough to makeimprovements, and weaken the cycle. Then the community could try harder and forma cycle of positive influence until selfishness wasn't as prevalent. Then wecould work on other evils. There is always room for improvement.