[*start another rambling rant
Systemic corruption and megalomania among the powers-that-be (elected, appointed or self-declared) is a beast that could probably never be slain, just temporarily debilitated. Suri's Final Solution, alluring as it is, is not proof against its very executors being corrupted by their own power... unless Suri implants his ninja army with a "ethics monitor" chip that lets him remotely "terminate" individuals that go rogue

And what if the generalissimo himself succumbs? :lol:
But on a personal level, I think most of us are, to differing degrees:
+ hospitable (motivated by religious belief, social conscience, desire to be liked or all of the above)
+ basically helpful (one on one, even to strangers. mobs not included)
- disinterested in anything that doesn't directly and immediately inconvenience us (someone else will do it)
- apathetic if the inconvenience is not easily remediable (the "kindly adjust" credo)
- uncaring of "personal space" (kinda understandable since precious few of us have ever had any)
- extremely competitive in everything (personal image, achievements, possessions, queues)
- insanely egotistical and class-obsessed (do you know who i am?)
But then, these attributes are shared - in various formulations - by humans everywhere, because geography doesn't breed ***holes, people do.
Perhaps we tend more towards the "**** you, me first" attitude because, not living in a welfare society, if we don't take care of ourselves first, no one else will.
That being said, many of us are woefully lacking in even basic manners, courtesy and consideration of others. I've seen people grovel shamelessly before their "betters", while treating people they consider "lower" worse than insects. I think that, along with the math and science in which we so proudly excel, primary education should include a mandatory course in personal comportment and etiquette. Not which fork to use for shrimp, but simple social interaction, how to treat other people graciously and respectfully.
Call me credulous and/or simplistic, but I think that a social conscience inculcated early in a child may help build a better, more principled adult.
end rant*]
Talking of etiquette education, I once had a male teacher who would be the very epitome of old-world graciousness in the presence of ladies, but would exhibit a disturbing misogyny in their absence. I remember him saying to a class of 14-year-old boys after a female teacher had left the room, "kya bada bada papaya, yaar" while grabbing his scrawny chest and licking his chops like Wile E. Coyote. He wasn't aware that the ensuing embarrassed laughter was largely at him, not with him. Creepy old coot, but a good Hindi teacher.