Selfishness...... Vice or Virtue?

Perhaps this is very straight forward for most. We have been taught from the day as a child we would have understood the meaning of this.. Selfishness is a vice; selfless is a virtue.

But i have come to believe selfishness is a virtue.. Come to think of it Prince Sidhartha left his Father, newly wed wife, his country men who he was to lead to something which he believed in, what he thought is correct; was that not selfish? So did Swami Vivekanand, not sure if it is true but it is said his mother and sister could not take his departure into a ascetic life and lost their balance. 

They both great spiritual mean pursued what they thought is right for them they were selfish...Well that throws some of my wisdom foundation off the track..

I do think selfishness is a virtue if used sensibly... You are selfish if you stop a bully from bullying you... the bully is enjoying himself and you bearing it may make you either selfless or may be a coward... This was may be not the most apt example  but whenever you put your view/ happiness first you are being selfish... and well common sense says there is no harm in being happy... but at the same time cannot deny selfless is a virtue.. contradictions !

the answers to all of this is not straight forward, it is about the balance of  consequence: it is about the consequence of the selfless or selfish act (the consequence of act of bullying is vice for example)..how the consequence affect the ecosystem around you and where does it take you... 

unfortunately to all what we call wisdom there are no textbook answers..... all i can say selfishness is not just bad, it can lead to your happiness.. you need to know where to draw the line.