How would you respond to this

1) Do you agree that self-interest is an "ignoble human trait?"From dictionary.com: ignoble is "of low character, aims, etc. mean, of low grade; inferior"

If i'm understanding the question correctly, no i don't think self-interest is an ignoble human trait, as it is necessary for people to have wants, needs, and drive inorder to keep a society well working.With out interest there would be no market- meaning there wouldn't be a way to buy and sell goods as there would be no value to these goods. Without self-interest we wouldn't be able to progress in society as there would be nothing to work for and strive for, but as we know from the videos this week, it's in human nature to always want more and need more. So, no self-interest is not ignoble, it's actually necessary for a society to run.

2) One can argue that economic self-interest caused the slave trade over 400 years ago. In addition, the systematic racism in the U.S. is the result of decades of economic policy making that benefit the white majority that acted in their self-interest. Is self-interest inherently racist?

Yes you could aregue that economic self-intrest could be a reason why there was slave trade, as people became more greedy and wanted more things wirth out as much work it caused people to use others as their means of work. I wouldn't say systematic racism is solely dependent upon economic policies, but it definitely doesn't help. Our society is capable of ending racism, but it would take people to be nice, and kind, and caring which is honestly not as easy to find as it should be. Tangent aside, there is definitely a pull from decades of economic policies, as those who are incharge half of the time don't see the effects of years and years of slavery and how it still effects people in those lines of decent today. It's obviously due to selfishness and the inability to empathize with other people, and should be changed. In this specific example yes, I'd say self-interest is inherently racist, but it would mostly depend from situation to situation.