4 ms·

> Let's say I make hats. If I'm selling a hat with a Swastika, and I get a lot of sales for it, can I really say, "I'm not tacitly approving racism and neo-nazi

> Let's say I make hats. If I'm selling a hat with a Swastika, and I get a lot of sales for it, can I really say, "I'm not tacitly approving racism and neo-nazis, I just make hats. What I actually approve of, is making money without taking any responsibility for the social consequences of the choices I make to make money?" Who are you making the hats for? If you are making replica SS uniforms that are used in films and TV then probably not. In Thailand there isn't the historical baggage of the Swastika. When I was over there I saw "HFC" literally "Hitler Fried Chicken", I don't think they were neo-nazis. I think something got lost in translation. > Or if I sell cigarettes, can I say, "I'm not tacitly approving of cancer, What I actually approve of, is making money without taking any responsibility for the health consequences of the choices I make to make money?" The smoker is quite capable of making his own choices. I smoke a cigar from time and time but I don't chain smoke cigarettes. Lets take a less extreme example, when you are selling a pint of beer at the bar are you "tacitly" approving of alcoholism. Obviously not. > I think that when you do a thing to make money, and it has consequences, you are tacitly saying that you approve of the consequences. Not necessarily as we have seen.

braythwayt 7y ago
> The smoker is quite capable of making his own choices. I smoke a cigar from time and time but I don't chain smoke cigarettes. The fact that smokers are capable of making their own choices is irrelevant. I also smoke cigars, and if I decide to sell cigarettes or cigars, I am tacitly approving of some portion of my customers getting lung cancer, throat cancer, whatever. That's literally what the word "tacit" means: Implied by or inferred from actions or statements. I sell cigarettes, you can infer quite reasonably that I approve of a world in which some of the people ho give me money wind up with cancer. Period, full stop. Why are we working so hard to give people wiggle room on this? When it comes to firearm sales, pro-gun people will tell us that it's a shame about all those dead kids, but the greater good is served by having the freedom to own firearms with few restrictions or impediments. Those people have no problem understanding that we make choices, and some of those choices lead to unpleasant outcomes, but we tacitly approve of those unpleasant outcomes as part of approving of some other outcome we value more. That's simple responsibility.
- kazinator 7y ago
  > if I decide to sell cigarettes or cigars, I am tacitly approving of some portion of my customers getting lung cancer, throat cancer, whatever. Not any more than the management of Safeway tacitly approving of you becoming obese or getting diabetes to selling you various carbohydrates.
  - Spellman 7y ago
    They at least approve of a system where the exchange of currency for carbohydrates is a good system, especially since they gain wealth from it. They also agree with a system where if you have enough money they will sell you whatever you want at a set price. And yeah, some small portion of that population may get diabetes or become obese, and they are OK with that. Versus, say, rationing and strict diet control from some other authority. Or all carbs are free. Or any other variety of other systems. It doesn't mean they encourage poor outcomes, since typically poor outcomes is bad for business. Nor are they responsible. But they do approve that this system is good and participate in it. And you can make your own judgement call if you think this system is "good" and one you want to participate in.
- uk_programmer 7y ago
  > That's literally what the word "tacit" means: Implied by or inferred from actions or statements. No. You are completely misusing the word here. > understood without being openly expressed; implied: Now look at the usage of the word: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tacitly https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tacitly > tacitly - in a tacit manner; by unexpressed agreement; "they are tacitly expected to work 10 hours a day" https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacitly https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacitly I don't think I will be continuing this conversation with you.
  - Spellman 7y ago
    Uh, your definition literally says "by unexpressed agreement"? So, agreement not by words, but by implied means (action or inaction) seems a fitting usage of the word tacit. Similarly, from the definition of tacit from which tacitly is derived, https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacit https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacit 1. Not spoken: indicated tacit approval by smiling and winking. 2. Implied by or inferred from actions or statements: Management has given its tacit approval to the plan. 3. Archaic Not speaking; silent. EDIT: formatting

braythwayt 7y ago

> The smoker is quite capable of making his own choices. I smoke a cigar from time and time but I don't chain smoke cigarettes. The fact that smokers are capable of making their own choices is irrelevant. I also smoke cigars, and if I decide to sell cigarettes or cigars, I am tacitly approving of some portion of my customers getting lung cancer, throat cancer, whatever. That's literally what the word "tacit" means: Implied by or inferred from actions or statements. I sell cigarettes, you can infer quite reasonably that I approve of a world in which some of the people ho give me money wind up with cancer. Period, full stop. Why are we working so hard to give people wiggle room on this? When it comes to firearm sales, pro-gun people will tell us that it's a shame about all those dead kids, but the greater good is served by having the freedom to own firearms with few restrictions or impediments. Those people have no problem understanding that we make choices, and some of those choices lead to unpleasant outcomes, but we tacitly approve of those unpleasant outcomes as part of approving of some other outcome we value more. That's simple responsibility.

kazinator 7y ago
> if I decide to sell cigarettes or cigars, I am tacitly approving of some portion of my customers getting lung cancer, throat cancer, whatever. Not any more than the management of Safeway tacitly approving of you becoming obese or getting diabetes to selling you various carbohydrates.
- Spellman 7y ago
  They at least approve of a system where the exchange of currency for carbohydrates is a good system, especially since they gain wealth from it. They also agree with a system where if you have enough money they will sell you whatever you want at a set price. And yeah, some small portion of that population may get diabetes or become obese, and they are OK with that. Versus, say, rationing and strict diet control from some other authority. Or all carbs are free. Or any other variety of other systems. It doesn't mean they encourage poor outcomes, since typically poor outcomes is bad for business. Nor are they responsible. But they do approve that this system is good and participate in it. And you can make your own judgement call if you think this system is "good" and one you want to participate in.
uk_programmer 7y ago
> That's literally what the word "tacit" means: Implied by or inferred from actions or statements. No. You are completely misusing the word here. > understood without being openly expressed; implied: Now look at the usage of the word: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tacitly https://www.dictionary.com/browse/tacitly > tacitly - in a tacit manner; by unexpressed agreement; "they are tacitly expected to work 10 hours a day" https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacitly https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacitly I don't think I will be continuing this conversation with you.
- Spellman 7y ago
  Uh, your definition literally says "by unexpressed agreement"? So, agreement not by words, but by implied means (action or inaction) seems a fitting usage of the word tacit. Similarly, from the definition of tacit from which tacitly is derived, https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacit https://www.thefreedictionary.com/tacit 1. Not spoken: indicated tacit approval by smiling and winking. 2. Implied by or inferred from actions or statements: Management has given its tacit approval to the plan. 3. Archaic Not speaking; silent. EDIT: formatting