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I really respect this comment. It is the reason I visit HN daily instead of Twitter, Reddit, or Facebook. Realism is the mark of adulthood.

• sudosysgen 5y ago
  Unassumed realism is not the mark of adulthood. If you sincerely agree then the stance you should hold is "I support atrocities if they benefit me and I don't care if other countries violate human rights". From then on we can have a good discussion. But the above is using realism as an excuse instead of fully assuming it and taking it to its conclusion.
  • koheripbal 5y ago
    Adulthood (ie experience), demonstrates that you cannot fight on every front, against every adversary, and for every cause, simultaneously. Adulthood means that you need to prioritize your goals, choose your battles, and set the stage for the progress you want to make. Simply refusing to deal with anyone that doesn't adhere to your ethical values is what my teenage daughter does, quite literally.
    • sudosysgen 5y ago
      If you care about ethics, then you would try to improve the situation in Saudi Arabia, which is much more fragile and more subject to US influence, instead of trying to do so in China which is a superpower you will only ever antagonize. The comment above wasn't about prioritizing the best targets to pursue your ethical goals. It's about ignoring them but pretending they still matter. They don't matter. If we care about ethics at all we wouldn't orchestrate coups instead of forgoing a bit of oil revenue.