[vbnautilus]

I think the real issue at the root of this question is how you define the "self".

Richard Dawkins has written a great book called The Selfish Gene, in which he presents the
perspective that genes are out for themselves rather than individuals. For example if you
look at seemingly altruistic acts in nature they are more likely to be done for the benefit of those
who are closely related to us genetically. You can see this as the genes' way of making sure that
copies of themselves are doing well.

If you ultimately expand your notion of "self" to recognize that we are all interconnected and independent and that the welfare of each individual impacts the welfare of all the others, then there is no difference between benefiting yourself and benefitting others.