OP didn't bring up optimality, nor is it necessary to his argument.
His argument is that success does not hinge on being an asshole - and that one can accomplish one's goals without being an asshole.
There's nothing in there about optimality or minmaxing every one of your decisions.
Whatever your goals may be - unseating a corrupt taxi monopoly, organizing the world's information, whatever - OP's notion is that it can be achieved without being an asshole.
His statement wasn't "all asshole actions are non-optimal", and frankly given that optimality wasn't even hinted at in his post I have to wonder where you're getting it from.