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Most people are not consequentialists, but most people feel implicitly uncomfortable making moral arguments on non-consequentialist grounds. “Stop what you’re d

Most people are not consequentialists, but most people feel implicitly uncomfortable making moral arguments on non-consequentialist grounds. “Stop what you’re doing, it disgusts and offends me” is less noble than “stop what you’re doing, it will hurt people who can’t stand up for themselves”. I hear "arguments" like this all the time against data-mining public information and crowd sourcing and making it open on our site (and through an API) through our feedback and they make me chuckle seeing how they had to engage and co-opt a multitude of psychological/behavioral theories not drafted by themselves to say such things. Even more funnier is when the things they are protesting has been done in "private" for a very long time. Kind of reminds me of how the whole Snowden thing plays out on HN and in the general culture at large, despite the mumblings of such since the very beginning… quite amusing to say the least…

forgottenpass 12y ago
quite amusing to say the least… Ah, yes, quite droll that people who don't make money from the thing I make money from have different moral opinions on it. Very amusing indeed. Because, of course, they're obviously wrong. And they use other people's words when arguing their point? I'd point out that this is how just how ideas pass through society, but I'll settle for laughing at the fact you see unaware that you're also doing exactly that in your post.
- cinquemb 12y ago
  Only if we all could conflate stating observed interactions with arguing a point like you just did exactly in your post, we all could laugh at ourselves more. :D I guess those who think they are morally right can just give themselves a big round of applause while they continue to engage in behaviors that act against such moral beliefs, whether they are willing to admit that to themselves or not and I'll just keep exploring the infinite. :D

forgottenpass 12y ago

quite amusing to say the least… Ah, yes, quite droll that people who don't make money from the thing I make money from have different moral opinions on it. Very amusing indeed. Because, of course, they're obviously wrong. And they use other people's words when arguing their point? I'd point out that this is how just how ideas pass through society, but I'll settle for laughing at the fact you see unaware that you're also doing exactly that in your post.

cinquemb 12y ago
Only if we all could conflate stating observed interactions with arguing a point like you just did exactly in your post, we all could laugh at ourselves more. :D I guess those who think they are morally right can just give themselves a big round of applause while they continue to engage in behaviors that act against such moral beliefs, whether they are willing to admit that to themselves or not and I'll just keep exploring the infinite. :D