Intergalactic Summit

The two options are really the same. In order to satisfy our infinite desires with our limited resources (achieve selfish goals) we must cooperate and act in harmony with each other (a single person cannot build an empire). Altruism arises when greed alone cannot advance the species sufficiently. Greed in turn arises when society cannot fulfill the selfish desires of the individual, and so the individual ventures out to innovate and do something new (which also helps advance the species). As with anything on the great wheel, selfishness and selflessness prevail in societies in a cyclical fashion, simply out of need (or perhaps nature).

With all of that being said, each individual may tend towards one or the other. I'd like to think I'm a basically altruistic person, but if I'm not then oh well.