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In principle I agree with you, but will add: morality is cheap when ones belly is full.
by lvturner 3y ago
In principle I agree with you, but will add: morality is cheap when ones belly is full.
- jacquesm 3y agoCounterpoint: morality only matters when you have something to lose, otherwise it's free.
- TeMPOraL 3y agoCounter-counter-point: this only matters if you're doing this for social signalling purposes, and/or to boost your self-esteem, which is... kind of missing the point, and itself not too moral. Something being "the right thing to do" is independent of whether, for you, it's something you're doing by default, or it's something cheap, or it's something requiring immense personal sacrifice. Either way, it's the right thing to do. The way it matters in practice is that, if the society is structured so that doing the right thing is an act of great personal courage, very few people will do the right thing. If the society manages to make that cheap/free/default, nearly everyone will do the right thing. In this sense, morality is like working on stage lighting or sound during concerts, or being a sysadmin - if people can notice you doing work, you're doing it wrong. (At least that's the more abstract take. Humans being what they are, if they don't feel recognized for their personal sacrifice, they'll just stop, as the need to belong is stronger than conscience.)
- jacquesm 3y agoYes, that's true, if it is done well it is likely done quietly. But I've seen some very impressive acts of altruism happen near me that by their sheer impact would never have gone unnoticed.
- gambiting 3y agoHow is this a counterpoint? It's literally the same point they made. Morality is easy if you have a full belly - you can easily choose to dismiss advertisers like these because your financial wellbeing doesn't depend on getting their money. There's nothing to lose by dismissing them. If you are struggling financially then there is a lot to lose by not accepting their offers.
- im3w1l 3y agoWell some people will do horrible things to go from good to great. That's much worse than doing horrible things to stay afloat.
- gadders 3y ago"A principle isn't a principle until it costs you something." - Bill Bernbach
- wccrawford 3y agoIsn't that backwards? Shouldn't it be one of these 2 instead? Morality is cheap when one's belly is empty. Morality is easy when one's belly is full.
- lvturner 3y agoDepends if you are the buyer or the seller
- wccrawford 3y agoIt took me a couple minutes to work that out... But now I see what you aresaying. Thanks!