If your only question about helping non-affluent people is "what's in it for me?" then yes, I think you're right about how that sounds. It's not about you.

But broadly, the long-term benefits of social programs are to create a richer, more stable society. If one's goal is strictly positional, then other people being less poor is negative, because the whole point is having someone to look down upon. However, you can take some comfort from the "more stable" part, as it means your kids are less likely to get guillotined at some point.