Never mind my mental problems, mcdoodle. I actually do know that people are people no matter where they are. It's been my practice to withhold respect if I note that a person is bigoted. It becomes a little daunting when I see just how many people there are who I don't respect. If I had a more political nature, I would have long since worked it out and laid it to rest.As a non American ... :) Mine was a political moment, during the 1997 election in the UK, when I felt I realized that a really small number of people were capable of manipulating events. Often they have a pious- sounding front man like Tony Blair (or they are such a person). And they lack a moral sense. For a while this depressed me terribly. Eventually I somehow went back into myself, and found a kind of detachment from human affairs I didn't used to have.
This is not at all how I used to see the world. In a way though, in the long run I feel more at ease with myself, less urgently feeling I should *do* something. These bastards are stronger than me. I need my own space of reasonableness. I can't ignore the unpleasant triumph of evil people, but I can understand that I'm not responsible for them. — mcdoodle
What does "murder is bad" mean to you? Is it just true instinctively? Is it true because a lot of people agree that it is? Is it empathy that makes it bad? I guess I'm asking for your theory of morality.It's unclear to me why anyone would believe that the fact people get away with murder bears any relation to whether it's good or bad to murder, unless they assume that murderers must be punished somehow in order for it to be bad. — Ciceronianus the White
I think what's shocking about it is the realization that brutality, for instance, can be a magic. In some cases, it gets you what you wanted, there's no blowback from it, and as opposed to making your position less secure, it makes it more secure. It continues to pay dividends down the line. Isn't this why parents teach their sons to belt the playground bully right in the nose? Because they know it works this way.I think that begs the question. It's also unclear to me why the fact that a person prospers after doing something bad indicates that the universe is unjust or is an injustice.
There's no reason why the universe should conform to our expectations. The fact it doesn't shouldn't be surprising, given that we're such a tiny part of it. — Ciceronianus the White
What does "murder is bad" mean to you? Is it just true instinctively? Is it true because a lot of people agree that it is? Is it empathy that makes it bad? I guess I'm asking for your theory of morality.
But regarding crimes and misdemeanors, you're saying you sort of insulated yourself from the world and its truths? Does that work? — Mongrel
'The unexamined life is not worth living' means me, and my life, not a lot of rules about other people. — mcdoodle
Whether or not someone gets away with something has no effect on its ethical significance — TheWillowOfDarkness
I don't know what to do with that. I look out at history and present day affairs and I think... that's it. The world is full of bitch monsters getting what they want. And the ones that correspond to my normal, sober self... what are they doing? Embracing death? Yea, sort of.
Do you know what I mean? — Mongrel
They don't always get away with it. Sometimes they get away with it, just like sometimes good people suffer. I think the suffering of good people is exacerbated in our age because mercy triumphs over justice too much - in other words, one is seen as being morally deficient if justice (punishing wrong-doing) becomes more important than forgiveness. This I think is wrong - there is no shame in strength, justice and power if they are used for good causes, and justice is a good cause. It is only those morally deficient people, who desire to do evil and hurt others, and who don't want their victims to have means of defence and retaliation, that promote forgiveness. For them, they want forgiveness to be a universal law, because they want to be forgiven - allowed to get away with doing evil.that people commit crimes, hurt other people, kill (or worse), and they get away with it. They pay no price. Instead, they prosper from it. They become more powerful and insulated. — Mongrel
Yes. Violence and power can be used for good purposes. Beating up a bully is a good thing - and yes - it works. Hobbes was right.Isn't this why parents teach their sons to belt the playground bully right in the nose? Because they know it works this way. — Mongrel
Yes it is in keeping with the way I've always seen the world. It doesn't conflict with my view. I do not tuck it away and ignore it. I seek to develop the strength and power required to defend myself and others I care about.If it has come home to you that this is true, what sense do you make of it? Is it in keeping with the way you've always seen the world? Or does it conflict with your habitual view? If so, do you make changes to your outlook? Or do you tuck it away and ignore it? — Mongrel
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