Quote:
Originally Posted by inBOIL
I think most people are too ruled by emotion to always do what conforms with their ethics. If you've been pushed too far, it's sometimes easier to accept the emotional consequences of wrongdoing than the emotional consequences of taking a more ethical route. How many people would sacrifice the lives of several innocent strangers to save the life of a loved one, while admitting that their loved one's life is no more valuable than the lives of others? It may be easier to knowingly murder innocent people than to lose someone you care deeply for.
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All true, but AT THE TIME, it's what needs to happen, and it's the right thing to do. It might be seen as a mistake or overreaction or whatever on later reflection, but I believe that no action is ever taken that isn't seen as Right and Good (or at least Necessary) at the time.
The 9/11 hijackers did everything they did because it was, in their view, right and moral and ethical. It was a good thing to do, in their view, and they were being good people for doing it. Moral, holy, righteous people.
One consequence of this is that arguments over what IS right and moral and ethical are pointless. It's all subjective, and it's insane to argue over the subjective hoping to have the objective arise from it. Not that we don't all do plenty of insane things...
The thing to be inquiring into is the view of the world that GIVES what looks right and moral and ethical. People know in an abstract way that they have a point of view, but they rarely interact with their point of view AS a point of view. For human beings, our point of view is The Truth, and anyone with a different point of view is Wrong. And we "know" better, and that makes zero difference in practical life.