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Ask HN: Is it wrong to profit off a degenerate product?
I'm currently in a dilemma in that I have the opportunity to make a lot of money in the adult content industry, however I find that adult content is degenerate and has led to a moral decline in society. I have no problems on the individual impacts as it's the consumers choice, societal ramifications are my only gripe.
My arguments to justify it are the following:
1) Don't hate the player hate the game: It's not immoral to operate in the most efficient manner given within a given system.
2) The people who would pay for this product, would already otherwise pay for someone else's product, so I might as well be the one to profit from it if someone will regardless.
3) It's not illegal.
4) there's already so much content out there, that there'll be a marginal effect with whatever I distribute.
These though mostly feel like deflections from the main problem. In case anyone is interested, the opportunity is along the lines of applying 3D gaussian splatting to adult content.
- deleted 2y ago[deleted]
- pavel_lishin 2y ago> My arguments to justify it are the following: 1 2 3 4 You can justify nearly anything with that logic. You're the one who has to sleep with the choices you've made. (fwiw, I disagree with both your premise that pornography is inherently a societal ill, as well as several of your justifications. But I'm not particularly interested in convincing you one way or another.)
- sitkack 2y ago> I have no problems on the individual impacts as it's the consumers choice, societal ramifications are my only gripe. How can you care about one but not the other? Are you ok with selling anything as long as it is "the consumers' choice" ?
- empyreanite 2y agoPretty much, if someone wants to be an idiot it's on them. The only time I'll have a problem is when it conflicts with the greater good. I guess it's a somewhat arbitrary line to care about the societal ramifications and not the individual, however society is not responsible for the actions of individuals, yet it still feels the consequences.
- sitkack 2y agoIf idiots behave to predictably as to be mechanistic, then knowing that an outcome is highly probable, I'd argue that one does have moral responsibility. That it would be wrong to wash the results of our actions through those that are known to make poor choices.
- SavageBeast 2y agoThe single worst thing about engaging in degenerate endeavors is the people you will meet and the impact they will have on your life. Consider that you will likely be making degenerate friends and making connections with others in that space. I'm not saying it's a bad idea but choose your company wisely and with eyes wide open. With proper boundaries set going in it could be a fun experience.
- rudasn 2y agoIf you are in SV you can also justify your choice, if you feel like you have to, by saying that you only want to get filthy ritch so that you can give your money away to those who need it. Be a philanthropist!
- JohnFen 2y ago> however I find that adult content is degenerate and has led to a moral decline in society. I would suggest that you've already answered your own question. If you feel that such a thing is degenerate and leads to a moral decline in society, but you contribute to it anyway, you are a hypocrite. Everything else you ponder reads like trying to find a way to justify away the hypocrisy, but that's not possible.