Back again/ Altruism vs Narcissism

Ahem......ok, this time it was a defective modem. The techno gods are pissed, maybe? Perhaps my postings have been a bit self reflective of late? Let's try for a bit of a rant, then.......
Some people discount the existence of altruism--claim that it's actually self interest, survival of common genes, yadda yadda blah blah-- what bollocks! I must admit, the only folks I've ever heard present that argument to me have been rather flagrantly narcissistic. Makes sense--if one percieves themselves as superior, and is presented/confronted with a virtue they lack, simply deny the existence of said virtue and carry on feeling superior--even more so now for not being duped into believing a fallacy. As I said before, what utter bollocks. I had an uncle I never met--he died in Korea a decade before I was born. On thanksgiving day 1950 he saved members of his platoon from a grenade by diving on it. Blew himself to shreds--his remains were recovered just 3 years ago. Wasn't related to anyone in his platoon, and didn't hesitate to give his life for his comrades. This kind of noble idiocy runs rampant on me Ma's side. On Da's side--well, golly. He was a narcissistic bully who avoided military service during the 2nd world war with a trumped up medical deferment. He detested the memory of my uncle-- it was hard being a coward with the spectre of a hero hanging over.
Maybe this is an american phenominon. Living in such a competitive/uncooperative society doesn't exactly foster fellow feeling. We still cling to the bullshit image of the maverick loner, cutting a slice of destiny with his mighty ego. We're like hermit crabs in a way, scuttling from fad to fad, adopting new personae as soon as they roll off the assembly line. But that's something else to rant about--later.
Props to blogging greats abroad--namaste