Myself or Others?

Psychological egoism is a widely accepted theory among scholars and analysts. However, some find the theory preposterous. Phsycological egoism is the idea that everyone is selfish all the time, because it is built into our nature as human beings. We simply cannot avoid being selfish. This theory in many situations makes sense. However in a few specific scenerios it doesn't. this is explained vicariously ina true story of man that worked at a bridge for trains to pass over. His job was to lower the bridge when trains were coming. One day, he brought his son, whom he loved to work. While he was working, his son got caught in the gears of the bridge. While trying to get his son out of the gears, a train was coming toward the bridge. He had the decision of lowering the bridge and killing his son but saving the 200 or so on the train. Or, not lowering the bridge and vice-versa. He then decides to save the 200 people on the train and kill his son. Another story similar to this involves a man in the military that jumps on a grenade killing himself but saving his friend. These two stories that I have shared both seem to epitomize selflessness. How could the man in the first story be described as selfish. He gave up his son to save 200 people. If there is nothing apart of us that is selfless then what are we apart from animals. We are only interested in our own survival and nothing else. Selflessness is a part of what humanizes us. Then again selfishness is also apart of humanity. Nobody exists that is completely selfless even though that is what most religions tell us to strive for in life. A complete selfless being is considered a god. This is what we see in most monotheistic religions. Jesus for example was a compete selfless being, and that very thing is what separated him from humans. That’s why in order to be human we must have a balance of selfishness and selflessness. At some point in our lives we will commit an act that is selfless or seems to be selfless. Either way, we do it so feel more human from so much of our other selfish ways. This is what people on the other side argue. saying that we are committing this selfless act to feel better about ourselves and to give us that humane satisfaction.