self-interest vs. selfishness

self-interest

[ self-in-trist, -in-ter-ist, self- ]show ipa

noun

1. regard for one's own interest or advantage, especially with disregard for others: He appears to be motivated solely by self-interest, greed, and an insatiable hunger for self-aggrandizement.
2. personal interest or advantage: It is particularly hard to understand why a group would vote against its own self-interest.
3. the doctrine that acting to one’s own benefit or advantage can also result in a benefit for society at large: Adam Smith believed that individuals pursuing rational self-interest would create wealth through efficient production and competition.

selfishness

[ sel-fish-nis ]show ipa

noun

1. the quality or state of caring only for oneself or one’s own interests:The author rants at length about the selfishness and general disregard for others that he sees at the root of modern society.