i have thought about this for the past one year, and i have come to a few conclusions about life and descision making.

1. All beings avoid punishment and are attracted to rewards.
2. Punishment would include physical punishment, reduce in rewards, guilt, apprehension of punishment, and increase in punishment; rewards include physical/material reward, reduce in punishment(including guilt), expectation of reward, and increase in rewards.
3. All decisions are made to ultimately benefit oneself.

so far, i have yet to come across any exceptions. please enlighten me if u do not agree, and if u can think of an example.