Egoism/Ethics
An egoist looks out for his or her own self-interests. In fact, an ethical egoist stance assumes that the morally correct choice must be based on self-interest. Maximizing self-interest may or may not benefit others indirectly. However, an egoist knows that selfless service does not always lead to beneficial results and that the only individual whose life we can control is the actor -- the self.
Egoists' stance on affirmative action would therefore depend on self-interest alone. A black woman egoist may support affirmative action knowing that she would benefit personally. Likewise, a white man egoist would likely oppose affirmative action knowing that his self-interest depended on the status quo.
Interestingly, however, the egoist may support that which benefits others is -- and only if -- that action also benefits the self-directly or indirectly. Therefore, an egoist black politician might oppose affirmative action if the stance would earn him support in an upcoming election. An egoist white politician might support affirmative action for similar reasons. In either case, the egoist does not take a stance on affirmative action because it would benefit a group of people, but because it would benefit their own career. An egoist African-American may oppose affirmative action for other self-centered reasons too. For example, the individual might not want to be accused of being hired on the basis of her minority status alone; their social life may benefit more from a less desirable job. In another scenario, a white man who was married to an African-American woman might support affirmative action even though it would ruin his chances for a promotion for the sole reason that his personal life would suffer otherwise. Thus, the egoists' decisions are usually situational and highly personal. What benefits one individual may not benefit another.
Affirmative action programs are egoist from the point-of-view of those they benefit. To some white males, especially egoists whose jobs are directly affected by such programs, affirmative action equals "reverse discrimination." However, egoist minorities who have been previously excluded from positions of power and who would benefit directly would support affirmative action.
