It just seems that if we're holding people to that level of selflessness to be considered not doing it for selfish reasons (Dorian feeling he's doing the right thing makes it selfish? Wanting to redeem Tevinter is selfish?) then literally no one will be selfless.
Cassandra does it because it is in her backyard and she can't ignore the mess right above her. The Chantry is in shambles and the Divine is dead. She is one of the hands of the Divine and she was charged by Justinia to found the Inquisition if the peace talks don't work and to fix the mess the world is in. She has her duty.
Cole is a spirit of compassion. Helping others fulfills his purpose and it's not so much his choice as what he is. If he does not help others he will become a demon.
It's not Dorian wanting to do the right thing that makes it selfish, it's him wanting to be seen helping due to his own hang ups about how others view him and his countrymen that makes it selfish. He wants people to see and know that a Tevinter is fighting the bad eggs and doing what's right. Like I said, he's donating to charity so people will think favorably about him. That's not selfless at all. I just see it as a part of his character flaw, he's a selfish person in other aspects as well which is seen during his romance with the IQ.
I'm not saying he doesn't also want to help others or that his help doesn't come from a good place. But he's not joining the party for purely selfless reasons that's all. It's about his reputation and that of his people. Just as Varric and Blackwall want to redeem themselves in some form, Dorian wants to do the same for his people and he feels he can do this by joining the Inquisition and helping out and giving those who have the wrong idea of his countrymen something to think about.
Whereas Cass and Cole hope to gain nothing for themselves except to see that people are safe. Cass wanting to protect the people in her backyard and continue her duties as the right hand to restore order is not selfish nor is it selfless. It's her job to be there but she isn't there to boost her rep or to relieve herself of some sort of guilt like the others.
It's in Cole's nature to help others, it's only when other people intervene and prevent him from doing something that's as natural as breathing to him, that makes him a demon. He's not helping out of fear that he would become a demon.
Sure you can argue that anyone could choose to help for selfish reasons but IMO, that's just nitpicking.
Side Note: I'm not trying to bash Dorian and I think he is also coming from a good place, But he does have flaws, like most of the companions, he has some selfish motivations behind his reasons for joining. Vivienne is just more transparent about it.
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