egoism / selfishness
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selfishness
An attitude in which one's own self and one's own interests, wishes, and well-being are placed excessively in the foreground. The term usually has a negative connotation and is often used as a synonym for selfishness or self-centeredness.
Sein rücksichtsloser Egoismus macht es schwer, mit ihm im Team zusammenzuarbeiten.
His ruthless selfishness makes it difficult to work with him on a team.
The ending '-ismus' often denotes a worldview, an attitude, or a behavior. The word stem 'Ego' comes from Latin and means 'I' or 'self'.
Sein Verhalten ist von reinem Egoismus geprägt.
His behavior is marked by pure selfishness.
The word family includes the adjective 'egoistisch' (selfish) and the person 'der Egoist' or 'die Egoistin' (egoist/selfish person).
Es ist egoistisch, nur an sich selbst zu denken.
It is selfish to think only of yourself.
'Egoismus' (egoism/selfishness) is often intensified with adjectives like 'rein' (pure), 'pur' (sheer), or 'bloß' (mere). The preposition 'aus' describes the motivation: 'aus Egoismus handeln' (to act out of selfishness).
Er hat dir nicht geholfen? Das ist ja purer Egoismus!
He didn't help you? That's pure selfishness!
solidarity
'Solidarität' and 'Egoismus' are clear opposites. With 'Solidarität', people think about the group and support one another. With 'Egoismus', someone puts their own wishes and advantages too strongly at the center. 'Solidarität' brings people together; 'Egoismus' can separate them. The difference is especially important when talking about behavior in a group.
Sein Egoismus ärgerte die anderen, weil er nie an die Gruppe dachte.
His selfishness annoyed the others because he never thought about the group.
Im Sportverein ist Solidarität wichtig, weil alle gemeinsam gewinnen wollen.
In a sports club, solidarity is important because everyone wants to win together.