Such people would be the natural constituency of the Democratic Party if politics were about rational economic self-interest.

Men sometimes act from rational self-interest, which is safer.

The industry, in other words, is asking consumers to do something it has yet to do itself: Forget rational self-interest, and act on faith.

Even libertarians center their analysis on the free individual and "rational self-interest."

Can we explain giving just using rational self-interest, as some economists have argued?

Even 10 minutes in, my rational self-interest told me to flee.

As you say, economists assume economic behaviour is based on informed, rational self-interest.

Thing about game theory is, it assumes rational self-interest among the players.

Are only Westerners capable of perceiving their rational self-interest and acting on it?

Sure, maybe it's mostly a case of rational self-interest rather than altruism.