"if you're better, you would at least be in the process of manipulating the inferior people around you (it should be easy if they're inferior) to make people in the world (ie the world) as good as you."
Why would I have to do this? Only way I'd say this would be true is if your definition of 'better' involves improving other people, but I don't see why it has to mean that.
"Almost any behavior has the potential to be self-serving."
I'd take it a step further and rid of this "the potential" phrasing. Everything we do in some way is about ourselves, even down to acts of charity.
"We're the product of genetics and environment. We can still make choices that impact both our environment and genetic expression."
At the risk of repeating myself, I'm just going to say that I prescribe fairly heavily to Determinism.
We're more like dominos.
I think with regards to the manipulation discussion, you and I are both running on different definitions of the word. I see your point of view and won't argue further as it does make sense given the broader definition you are using. At this point, it would be a discussion of semantics and I don't feel that either definitions are invalid.
Everything we do in some way is about ourselves...
I believe that the majority of things are. I have also seen people run through bullets, risking their own lives for those they care about or even barely know in situations where there was little opportunity to consider consequences. The benefit to self, in those instances, seems to not outweigh the risks.
I prescribe fairly heavily to Determinism.
Fair enough.
"I'd take it a step further and rid of this "the potential" phrasing. Everything we do in some way is about ourselves, even down to acts of charity."
While I agree with you on a technical level, it's still useful to keep use the words 'selfish' and 'selfless' when discussing behavior. Even if nothing truly is selfless.
"people are constantly imposing their will regardless, why not have it be done for a good reason?"
Not when I find the personality behind the idea to be imperious. It's more damage than good. There are people in this world who kneel at paintings, and they are so wired, fixing them will mean instilling fear and a sense of loss.
"so being repulsed by something makes it invalid?"
I already gave you a reason as to why I'm repulsed by your logic, why merely question me being repulsed making, as you say, 'something' invalid ?
"I have also seen people run through bullets, risking their own lives for those they care about or even barely know in situations where there was little opportunity to consider consequences.. "
They'd consider living life doing otherwise as worse. It'd weigh against them, decrease their quality of life. It's still about themselves in the sense of preventing consequences that'd lead to long-lasting guilt, self-questioning, and a series of self-inflictive insult sessions.
In short, they can't face a life where they'd do otherwise, so they instead do the riskier behavior.