Yes, it's true most people polled will simply choose whatever they see as maximizing immediate self benefit. Which, is why there a climate crisis, which is why there is global hunger, oceans of rubbish, polluted water supplies, poverty, disease and all the rest while at the same time 8 people have half the global capital. It's the structure of the modern economy which incentivizes only individualism. Always at the expense of the social whole. It creates misuse of capital everywhere.
Some of the smartest visionaries, like Buckminster Fuller, demonstrated that there is good standard of living possible for everyone, if capital were applied more wisely. So, we now have $250M cartoon movies playing in a theater sitting over broken sewers, polluted public water supplies, and connected with failing bridges. All of that, is directly due to the creation of the wrong incentives.
As to the benefits to the little guy, they are precious few. Most inventors work for huge corporations like Boeing, IBM, Google, Apple and Microsoft and their inventions, and related patents belong to the corporations. In 2015 just 4.6% of patents were filed by individuals. 48% filed by foreign corporations and 44% by US corporations. And, oh by the way, if a corporation decides it wants your patented idea, it will simply use it, and dare you to fight their $XXXM/yr legal department.
On balance, the entire system is designed to work against the small fry in every possible way. And the small fry has exactly ZERO to say about reforming it.
Brilliant, talented, clever, imaginative, crafty, artistic people can ALWAYS do well, because authenticity sells.