Is it unethical to use other human beings for personal or professional gain?

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In general, people use others, consciously or subconsciously, to optimize one's financial, human, political and social capital. This is often not to the benefit of the other person.

Several scenarios:

Date a guy because he has money. (financial capital)
Hook up with one's boss for a promotion. (financial/political capital)
Slander a political opponent to win an election. (political capital)
Fire an otherwise effective employee that one's boss does not particularly like. (political capital)
Date a girl to gain more effective interpersonal skills. (human capital)
Become friends with someone to gain access to their network. (social capital)
Date a guy because he is popular. (social capital)

From a Hobbesian perspective, we, as individuals, operate in a manner that maximizes our utility. At what point does one's behavior become unethical? Is it when the other person gains less utility from an interaction? How much less? Is it when the other person gains negative utility from an interaction?

To what extent is this behavior is consciously or subconsciously driven?

social skills

psychology

altruism

psychology

understand

tynamite

Here's what I would do
In none of your options is the person forced to make a choice. I would complete 3 and 6, because by doing those ones, the other person wouldn't ever feel that I am using them. (I never use people as I'm genuine.) If they don't feel used, what's the problem?

There's a country called Tanzania that signed a contract without prior understanding, so that miners can optionally choose not to pay any taxes. India also has SEZs that enable all businesses operating in them to pay no tax. India are aware of the implications of this, as they are making new ones.
To me, it doesn't matter whether someone understood the contract they signed or not, if someone is stupid enough to sign a contract that allows miners to pay no tax, and keep their poverished country poor, then I will continue exploiting them at their terms. They caused it on themselves. For any other contract like a credit card, job or business one, I will not exploit.

If I had a girlfriend that let me treat her bad, I would have no respect for her - in a way. Upon the realisation that I can get away with being slack to her, I would do something similar but less on the next day to see what happens. When I find that I was allowed to do that, I would stop the slackness as that's dreadful, but I would see her in a new light. I would use my newly found knowledge of her depending and supportive ways, and use it to strengthen the relationship with niceness and rarely make her do I want. I wouldn't exploit her, as it's not what she asked for.