> Of course I didn't like the sound of selfish genes when I first heard
> the term and dismissed the idea as some form of naturalizing current
> social conditions and attempting to find biological justifications for
> capitalism and greed---biologically modeled as endless expansion and
> competition.
>
You write 'when I first heard the term' - so you now understand the term
was NOT coined to promote biological justifications for capitalism and
greed, right?
Let's not forget the whole point of the book _The Selfish Gene_ was to provide an explanation of how _altruistic_ behaviour could arise (or more correctly, 'apparently altruistic behaviour'). It's plain wrong to view it as some sort of Social Darwinist tract. People on the Right who use the phrase as some sort of Social Darwinist slogan are just bullshitting. And it's always mildly disappointing to see leftists legitimize this bullshit usage by reacting as if it was the original and proper meaning.