disapproval If you accuse someone of self-interest, you disapprove of them because they always want to do what is best for themselves rather than for anyone else. Their current protests are motivated purely by self-interest. when you only care about what is best for you, and do not care about what is best for other people
behaviour or activity which enhances its exhibitor's survival or esteem but can appear more as altruism than as selfishness, because understanding of a larger system has altered the decisioning process such that the surroundings or substrate are enhanced - thus improving the nurturing capacity
man is an end in himself, not the means to the ends of others He must exist for his own sake, neither sacrificing himself to others, nor sacrificing others to himself The pursuit of his own rational self-interest and of his own happiness is the highest moral purpose of his life
attempting to get personal recognition for yourself (especially by unacceptable means)
taking advantage of opportunities without regard for the consequences for others
disapproval If you describe someone as self-interested, you disapprove of them because they always want to do what is best for themselves rather than for other people. Narrowly self-interested behaviour is ultimately self-defeating