So, I was up late watching Nick News...

[Sethomas]

You can't typeset what genes do. I don't know if the author was purporting that there is one gene that exists in all species that makes them selfish, but I don't know. That seems over-simplistic, so I'll assume he's not.

For one thing, be careful to not say "gene" when you mean "allele". You could have a smart gene and end up with alleles for retardation, or a blue eye gene and end up with alleles for brown eyes.

Evolution as a whole does not have any tendency other than survival. At the genetic level, this amounts to no tendency whatsoever other than randomness. A gene for pale skin would be advantageous for survival in the Nordic region, but it'd be fatal in Southern Africa. A sickle-cell gene would put you at a statistical advantage in malaria-ridden areas, but elsewhere it'd simply kill people senselessly.

In my book I talk about an evolutionary phenomenon reflecting the human mind's tendency toward sin, that is, concentration of the self over devotion to the community. The entire spectrum is represented in nature, from alpha male lions killing the males juveniles of a pride for sexual primacy, to a worker bee stinging an attacker for the sake of defending the hive. So, there is no "selfish" gene except where it is proactive for propagation of the species.