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That is falling back to the purity tests and cynicism. To be clear, I'm not judging your life, but challenging your claim about the forces driving human behavi
by s1artibartfast 2y ago
That is falling back to the purity tests and cynicism.
To be clear, I'm not judging your life, but challenging your claim about the forces driving human behavior, and the aggregate vale of the species.
I disagree with the idea that just because empathy doesn't prevent all violence, it is weak, or less meaningful. A bird can fly, but that doesn't mean gravity is weak.
Violence is real, and important to understand, but Empathy and good intentions are real too, and a huge part of human psychology. I would argue they are a greater driver of the two.
- rectang 2y agoYes, human "good intentions" are very, very real and a great driver of history. It is human nature to believe fervently that your own actions are just and right — to which cynicism, or at least skepticism, is the proper response. I imagine, for example, that government officials involved in managing California water rights[1], have "good intentions" — just as good as the intentions of those in this thread offering monstrous philosophical propositions about bartering violence that trivialize its enduring damage, or the intentions of those who contemplate becoming "nature's ethical guardians" and reducing "sentient suffering". To the extent that human social systems have evolved to reduce "sentient suffering", it has been by applying forcible restraints on such individuals, confronting them with how the consequences of their actions affect others, even when the natural human inclination is to downplay and dismiss suffering when it clashes with self-interest or "good intentions". [1] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43016248#43019903 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43016248#43019903