self-interested versus duty-based character structures

Even in Australia, (which is less ego based than the US), the academic theory and just about everything is focused on ego-based assumptions.  That is why so much of a lot of contemporary theory seems so dense to me.  it's ego based, whereas I have always been superego (conscience) based.  It's been one of the main sources of misunderstanding, because whereas I have always acted out of duty, in one way or another, people have assumed I was acting out of self-interest.  Even if you read the same text and read it in terms of self-interest, you will be reading an entirely different text than if you assume that the writer's perspective is duty-based.  The conclusions you draw will not be the same.