Helpful or ego-stroking? How do I know if I enjoy answering questions because I feel helpful or because it strokes my ego?

Why does this program demand that I add more words to my question?
Ego is identification. Some thought experiment, that consider the option to have action without identification, may point it out:


Would you invest the same amount of time if it was completely anonymous?
If someone would downvote your answer, how would you feel?
Would it make a difference whether your answer is downvoted with your name in in the answer, or completely anonymous.
If you could choose to add your name or signature to it, would you care?
If you had to choose up front, with your name/signature, or without, not knowing whether your answer will be up or down voted. Would you wish you have added your name/signature if everybody is upvoting your answer like crazy. And would you be happy that you didn't add your name when everybody was downvoting it like crazy.
Some extremes to create clear contrast: Someone asks a question why to continue with life because he/she is horrible depressed for years and seriously considers suicide. You provide an answer and he/she completely turns around and started living life to the fullest, the moment he/she read your answer. Would you tell this story to your friends/family including that it was you that provided the helpful answer. Or would you just tell how someone was helped by some answer and don't care at all to mention that you gave the answer.