What keeps a man alive?

In reviewing the lyrics from the second of three finales from the Threepenny Opera, it's very easy to see lots of moral/philosophical influences and topics within the message of the story. The school's recent production of the musical in early October gave me the interest and knowledge about the storyline and music to analyze the content, and above all else, this song seems to have more moralistic implications, rather then the psychological or sociological implications in the other songs in the show. The lyrics of the version we did are as follows:

"We listen to the sentimental preachers,
Who try to teach the world a better way.
But they forget that men are hungry creatures,
First give us breakfast, then we'll start the day.
They all imagine peace and plenty everywhere,
Contentment from the cradle to the grave.
It's a utopia, and one we'd love to share,
But you must feed us, then we'll all behave.

These moral absolutes, are hard to follow,
Just give us something tangible to swallow."

Spoken: "But what keeps a man alive?"

"What keeps a man alive, it's his compulsion, to steal and
cheat and kick his fellow man in the face.
We have to eat the shit, without revulsion, and
turn our backs, upon the human race.

You have to kill your neighbor to survive.
It's selfishness that keeps a man alive.

The preachers see a woman in the doorway,
'let's save this wretched creature from her shame.'
Okay, we'll change our lives, we'll do it your way,
First you must feed us, then we'll play the game.
We end up as a wife or a chambermaid,
And either way we're treated as a slave.
It's not surprising that we'd rather we were paid,
First you must feed us, then we'll all behave.

These moral absolutes, are hard to follow,

Just give us something tangible to swallow."

Spoken: "But what keeps a man alive?"

"What keeps a man alive, it's his compulsion, to steal and

cheat and kick his fellow man in the face.

We have to eat the shit, without revulsion, and

turn our backs, upon the human race.

You have to kill your neighbor to survive.

It's selfishness that keeps a man alive."

This song clearly defines the point that selfishness is what keeps a man alive, and the act of "killing your neighbor" is an act of selfishness so you will be "fed more." The underlying implications of the song lyrics suggest that much of it is metaphorical for economic and social situations as well. Men are greedy for money and power, and must "kill" off the competition. We have to "eat the shit" or start out at the bottom the the ladder and take people's problems with us openly, but at the same time know that, through selfishness, we must "turn our backs upon the human race" and think of only ourselves. Our compulsion to steal, cheat, and kick our fellow man is part of our selfishness and power-hungry dispositions. Keeping in mind that this song is written in a sense of describing 19th century london from a German perspective, there are certain sociocultural implications as well, but for the most part, this philosophy of what keeps a man alive is applicable to most any society in most any time.

Q - Do you agree that the world is plagued with selfishness and disregard for the "fellow man"?