Are people generally good, or evil?
I don't like simply restricting something so complicated to two alignment system. Hell, as horrible and stereotypical as it is D&D's system is miles better for this sort of topic than 'just' good vs evil.
But to answer within the options this specific question provides? I'd have to say evil. And this isn't due to any of the big stains in history (Nazis, Crusades) or modern day (ISIS, Trump) but rather just how people operate everyday. But my reasoning as to 'why' I say this relates directly to the following question.
Note: I also don't think the "People co-operate = People are Good" argument works, because that cooperation is a necessity to function at this level of society. And bad and "evil" people are not the mustache twirling "I'm EVIL! Mua ha ha ha!" types who do bad things for the sake of it. They have reasons, motivations etc. No matter how low a person has fallen, they will still do good acts like cooperating in a society if it benefits them. But that just means they have the common sense to survive, not that they're a good person.
Are people generally selfless, or selfish?
I find most people to be selectively selfless, but selfish at the core. A way I often describe it to friends is the "My Good Deed of the day" mentality.
There are a lot of people who pride themselves on being good people. They take it as something to stand on and brag about, but that's exactly the problem. From what I can usually tell these people don't go good acts because of a desire to be good, they do it out of a desire to have the image of good. They want to pat themselves on the back and say "I'm now a good person", they want other people to view them that way, but then these same good people are also very quick to turn around and become extremely cruel people the second they feel they've either:
a) Filled their daily good deed quota
b) Dealing with some where it's socially acceptable to be a dick to them
c) Dealing with someone where through bias/one sided thinking they can paint the other person as 'evil'
And personally, being someone who has:
1) Been the Autistic kid in school that students and teachers felt it fine to point at and say "No one likes them"
2) Being in a Family where "If you're not with me, then you are my enemy" moral crusades are common place
3) Having made my fair share of mistakes of before, needed people advice and help. And had both those willing to truly help take me through it, and those who simply expected one quick lecture to be the fix
I've been exposed to a lot of people who are more than willing to be pretty awful to one another if they feel morally justified in doing so, or simply don't like or care for the individual in question. Which brings me to my second deal here. Something I usually refer to as "Pack Mentality", basically people who will pick those they are already close to, and be good and caring people as far as they are concerned. But with anyone whose an outsider? Forget it, outsiders get seen as trash, and people who inherently deserve to be shit on until they 'prove' they deserve to be respected. Where every person who does this always forgets that they are not above everyone else, so anyone else who uses the same philosophy would be forced to look at them and say "They're an asshole to me, therefore they don't deserve respect" and that circles around and snowballs into some rather big problems.
And note I could very well also be one of these selfish people as well. The issue though? I can't see myself as an outsider, only as myself so my position is easily tainted and bias. But regardless as to if I'm also guilty or not, I've seen it enough in others to know full well it is a common issue that plagues the majority of people.
TL;DR Through a combination of people just wanting to have the image of good, or only bothering to be good with certain people the everyday person gives themselves a lot of leeway to be self-centred and uncaring with everyone else. Which leads to say they are inherently selfish,
Are people generally competent and self-sufficient, or do they need to be saved from themselves?
It depends on where they are in life. Still growing up? Need to be saved, that's just the nature of raising offspring.
If they recently went through a horrible life event, or been diagnosed with something like Depression? They probably will need the support of others to try making it through.
If they are in a relatively healthy mental state though and all grown up? Usually I find they are self-sufficient, or at least as self-sufficient people can be in this society we built that relies on co-operation.
Judging from the above questions, which is more important to you: Freedom, or Equality?
I would want to say
Equality, but I have to go with Freedom. Because Equality that lacks Freedom is basically shared slavery. We're all treated the same way, but no one is doing well. Because the second anyone get's even the slightest 'edge' every power is going to be charging in to rebalance the precieved 'privilege' and we'll never get anywhere because without the freedom for people to do what they want we'll be forever stuck in essentialyl PC/Social Justice crusades chasing over very minute if not non-existant problems.