His powers are part of his personality, as his lack of corruption and cynicism is a statement in itself for someone so powerful, as is his empathy for someone who is so mentally, emotionally and physically resilient - Superman knows everyone's name and where they live, and he's almost always polite, not because anyone made him but because that's just how he is. Superman works best, for me, as a quasi-divine/ideal man, representing the apex of Doc Savage optimism about the ultimate perfection of humans not only in physical and mental terms but someone who is able to wrestle with the greatest difficulties of human conflicting and desires without failing. It's a weird personality and very difficult for most people to write, especially when you try to get into the weeds of what is going on in his mind.
Without his super intelligence, will, and various abilities he's kind of like Captain America but more 'looking for the best outcome' than going for some ideal. But the character was literally created to be super powerful as a defining characteristic, he'd be a different person altogether without his powers, though probably a nice guy who's very brave most of the time.
But, putting aside his powers (assuming he's still Superman) I LOVE his pre-crisis personality. He's so god dang funny, very smart but kind of corny, plays pranks, does charity events for kids all the time, lectures bank robbers on getting a legit lifestyle and giving up their errors. I would absolutely love to meet someone like Superman, if he was actually as intelligent, genuinely caring and earnest as he behaves in the comics. I love that he doesn't lie about anything but constantly tricks people, it's absurd and to imagine a cosmic demigod doing this to these nice young office workers is a riot. Superman is an editor in the 70s idea of the best dad in the world/Universe. As the banners at Miracle Monday and Superman Day usually read, "We Love You, Superman". That's the kind of reaction he's supposed to provoke, imo, not that he's ridiculously powerful and is the admirable savior of reality twice a week, but that he's so nice and good to know that people forget that about him and just treat him like their best friend, almost unconsciously.
I don't think talking about selfishness or not is very productive in reality and I'll entirely avoid the question. There's no contradiction between Superman being a moral paragon and having almost no serious inclination not to do so. He doesn't owe people anything, he's not obliged to protect anyone, but he feels like he should and thinks it makes the world better if he does. He's not very judgmental about other people, and would rather talk than fight.
You can look at the struggles and virtues of other characters and compare them to Superman, and he would do that, too: he's more interested in giving credit than receiving it. But all those people who know him realize there is something unique to Clark's mind or spirit that none of them have, whatever they may share or exceed him in other ways. The most important thing about Superman isn't that he has powers but that the person who has those powers is him.
Villains in DC who try to kill Superman in DC are regularly considered insane, because 1) he really hasn't done anything to them they didn't invite by abusing others 2) they'll probably die when the world is destroyed without Superman around and 3) actually succeeding at this will have a lot of very powerful people very, very angry at you.
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