"He who lives only to benefit himself confers on the world a benefit when he dies"

Selfishness blinds an individual to the needs of others and isolates them from the fabric of communal life. Tertullian’s assertion challenges readers to consider the weight of living a life directed solely toward personal gain. It presents a moral paradox: that a person whose existence centers exclusively on self-interest inadvertently becomes a burden to society, and their departure removes an obstacle to communal flourishing.

Such a life, focused only on oneself, can produce harm by fostering neglect, greed, distrust, and even exploitation. The selfish individual syphons resources, affection, opportunities, or attention without reciprocation. They neither participate in nor contribute to mutual support, collective progress, or the welfare of anyone beyond their own limited circle. Their life becomes a zero-sum game, in which their own benefit must always outweigh any advantage accruing to others. As a result, bonds of empathy, solidarity, and trust, the necessary conditions for a harmonious society, grow weaker. Those who encounter or depend on such a person may find themselves frustrated, betrayed, or marginalized.

Thus, their death signifies an unexpected form of relief. An impediment to shared wellbeing has been removed; the community can better heal, thrive, and redistribute what that individual hoarded for themselves. The words echo an ancient lesson: that contribution, compassion, and communal interest are the roots of genuine personal and collective fulfilment. A society overrun by self-serving individuals would stagnate, but one in which people invest in one another’s welfare multiplies the good for all its members.

Tertullian’s remark, therefore, is both a warning and a call: a warning about the consequences of selfish living, and a call to embrace a broader vision of existence, one in which the true value of living is measured not by what is taken, but by what is gladly given.