The stories in the reading all warn against selfishness in different ways. For example, the legend of the river that became angry and flooded the land because a selfish man refused to share its water with others shows the consequences of not considering the needs of others. The legend of the chief who was punished for hoarding all the food in his village illustrates how selfishness can lead to the suffering of others.
In Plateau society, selfishness was seen as harmful because it goes against the values of cooperation and generosity that were important to the community. In a society that relied on sharing resources and working together for the common good, being selfish could jeopardize the wellbeing of the entire community. Furthermore, selfishness is a destructive trait that can lead to conflict and strife within a society. By warning against selfishness, these stories likely served as a reminder to be considerate and generous towards others.