Alex sees that his neighbors' lawns all need mowing. He offers to provide the service in exchange for a wage of $20 per hour. Some neighbors
accept Alex's offer and others refuse. Economists would describe Alex's
behavior as:
rational self-interest because he is attempting to increase his own
income by identifying and satisfying someone else's wants.
greedy because he is asking for a high wage that some of his
neighbors can't afford to pay.
selfish because he is asking for a wage that is higher than others
might charge.
irrational because some neighbors refused his offer.