Three Types of Selfing

Moffitt describes three types of “selfing” that undermine our integrity: selfishness, self-centeredness, and self-referencing. Selfishness is when you focus on your own advantage at the expense of others. Self-centeredness is when you orient to the world as if everything that happens is about you. Self-referencing is when you constantly ask, “How does this affect me?” and compare yourself to others. The differences between self-centeredness and self-referencing are subtle but critical distinctions when it comes to understanding how identity is created and how the dharma can help us let go of clinging to identity.