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The only issues that they care about are ones that directly affect their own conscience Is it not a prerequisite that a wrong begin to effect your conscience b
by Karunamon 10y ago
The only issues that they care about are ones that directly affect their own conscience
Is it not a prerequisite that a wrong begin to effect your conscience before you want to do something about it?
- bolocker 10y agoYes but if you live in an elite life bubble you'll only care about things that make it through that bubble. Why are so many rich celebrities obsessed with animal rights, the death penalty, and climate change? Because those issues affect them personally in some way. They gnaw at their conscience in a way that the extreme suffering of hundreds of millions of their fellow citizens does not.
- thaumasiotes 10y agoI don't think this is right. Climate change is not known for personally affecting anybody. It's more of an ineffable millenarian idea. Rather, I would say rich celebrities are obsessed with animal rights, the death penalty, and climate change because those ideas are fashionable among rich celebrities, not because they're relevant to rich celebrities for any fundamental (i.e. would still apply if no one knew what the celebrity believed) reason.
- bolocker 10y agoPlenty of educated elites are well aware the problems climate change could cause for them personally. Civil unrest, rising sea levels, and pollution. Things personal wealth only partially mitigates.
- orthros 10y agoIt's neither necessary nor sufficient. One doesn't have to be affected by rape to oppose it. I can reflect that there are others whose opinions I value. And thus throw support behind issues that, if left to my own opinion in a vacuum, would be of little concern.
- Karunamon 10y agoYou oppose rape because you know it's wrong. Why do you know it's wrong? Because you know the effect it has on its victims. How does that wrongness translate into a moral stance on your part? Empathy springs, in part, from conscience.
- orthros 10y agoWell, I could care less about most environmental regulation - I rather think it's a waste of time and resources - but I am OK with supporting certain laws that are supported by people who I respect, even though I personally could care less. My hope would be that people would consider their utility vs. the utility of all those who also want something. I've certainly supported modest tax increases because my neighbors were passionately in favor where my own view would be to oppose it. Is it too much to hope that people will consider broader societal interests and not just their own narrow ones?