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I do not know how to put it into words, but the simplistic morality expressed here makes me uncomfortable. While I also find remote controlled war to be abhorre

I do not know how to put it into words, but the simplistic morality expressed here makes me uncomfortable. While I also find remote controlled war to be abhorrent, nevertheless this attitude seems… overly simplistic?

kqr 5y ago
Of course it is overly simplistic -- which is also why it bears repeating. Anyone can be made to commit atrocities in an environment shaped the right way. If I grew up like these people, I'm sure I would pull the trigger in exactly the same situations. But it still would take my cooperation. I can only pull the trigger if I'm somehow made to want it, at some level. Or at least if I'm made to think I have no choice. By emphasising our individual ethical responsibilities -- the simple fact that it takes some amount of cooperation for a person to do anything at all, we are creating a small obstacle in the way of creating a dangerous environment that can turn me into an assassin.
throwaway15908 5y ago
Imagine a world ... imagine a united states in which people just respect this simple moral of not killing people by any means for any reason. Just imagine.
- flyinglizard 5y ago
  Imagine a world where the US navy doesn’t sail all seas, where there are no US troops around the world, no NATO or Military Industrial Complex. That’s not a world that I, as a Westerner, would want to live in.
  - sgjohnson 5y ago
    The alternative to the US-led global order is a global order led by some Chinese-Indian-Russian alliance. That’s definitely not a world I’d want to live in.
    - throwaway15908 5y ago
      No one is born as your foe, they gradually become it. Fleeing into "but imagine what china would do" is exactly that, its creation. Tracing the cirlce of violence back you can only state, that it has always been this way but that is also just a weak excuse of affective apes.
      - watwut 5y ago
        Are you assuming that literally everyone except Americans is purely reactive with no own ambitions and ideologies? That is incredibly arrogant look at the world.
    - AussieWog93 5y ago
      >Chinese-Indian-Russian alliance I think hell would freeze over before those three teamed up.
  - giraffe_lady 5y ago
    Well yeah. Neither does a thief want to live in a world where they must return the goods and be held accountable. Traditionally we don't weigh their desires very heavily in those decisions.
- imtringued 5y ago
  That's impossible. I can easily imagine that we achieve world peace within 50 years through two very simple economic reforms but I can't imagine that it will actually happen.
jcims 5y ago
Of course it’s overly simplistic, it’s a thoughtless impotent rant borne from frustration. I do it myself from time to time, it feels good but doesn’t change anything.
pastacacioepepe 5y ago
Nobody forces you to pilot drones. It is very simple, either you do it or you don't. Given that there are other choices there are no justifications. I'd rather clean toilets my whole life than build a career on the death of innocents.
gorjusborg 5y ago
I don't want to speak for you, but it alsi makes me feel uncomfortable, but I know why. The 'detached black and white' view of the world us how we got here in the first place. Clinging to moral absolutes and trying to frame real life in that rigid framework is a lazy/irresponsible way to be efficient. If you don't have to worry about the details (truth), decisions seem easier.

kqr 5y ago

Of course it is overly simplistic -- which is also why it bears repeating. Anyone can be made to commit atrocities in an environment shaped the right way. If I grew up like these people, I'm sure I would pull the trigger in exactly the same situations. But it still would take my cooperation. I can only pull the trigger if I'm somehow made to want it, at some level. Or at least if I'm made to think I have no choice. By emphasising our individual ethical responsibilities -- the simple fact that it takes some amount of cooperation for a person to do anything at all, we are creating a small obstacle in the way of creating a dangerous environment that can turn me into an assassin.

throwaway15908 5y ago

Imagine a world ... imagine a united states in which people just respect this simple moral of not killing people by any means for any reason. Just imagine.

flyinglizard 5y ago
Imagine a world where the US navy doesn’t sail all seas, where there are no US troops around the world, no NATO or Military Industrial Complex. That’s not a world that I, as a Westerner, would want to live in.
- sgjohnson 5y ago
  The alternative to the US-led global order is a global order led by some Chinese-Indian-Russian alliance. That’s definitely not a world I’d want to live in.
  - throwaway15908 5y ago
    No one is born as your foe, they gradually become it. Fleeing into "but imagine what china would do" is exactly that, its creation. Tracing the cirlce of violence back you can only state, that it has always been this way but that is also just a weak excuse of affective apes.
    - watwut 5y ago
      Are you assuming that literally everyone except Americans is purely reactive with no own ambitions and ideologies? That is incredibly arrogant look at the world.
  - AussieWog93 5y ago
    >Chinese-Indian-Russian alliance I think hell would freeze over before those three teamed up.
- giraffe_lady 5y ago
  Well yeah. Neither does a thief want to live in a world where they must return the goods and be held accountable. Traditionally we don't weigh their desires very heavily in those decisions.
imtringued 5y ago
That's impossible. I can easily imagine that we achieve world peace within 50 years through two very simple economic reforms but I can't imagine that it will actually happen.

jcims 5y ago

Of course it’s overly simplistic, it’s a thoughtless impotent rant borne from frustration. I do it myself from time to time, it feels good but doesn’t change anything.

pastacacioepepe 5y ago

Nobody forces you to pilot drones. It is very simple, either you do it or you don't. Given that there are other choices there are no justifications. I'd rather clean toilets my whole life than build a career on the death of innocents.

gorjusborg 5y ago

I don't want to speak for you, but it alsi makes me feel uncomfortable, but I know why. The 'detached black and white' view of the world us how we got here in the first place. Clinging to moral absolutes and trying to frame real life in that rigid framework is a lazy/irresponsible way to be efficient. If you don't have to worry about the details (truth), decisions seem easier.