Would you rather be right, or make a difference?

[wobbling bear]

sorry threadjack ....

Originally Posted by Nurse Ben

That's bull and you know it.

sorry my english does not go that far ... what do you mean?
that pretending being part of the world at large is wishful thinking?
how do you know?
btw: from the very beginning of history the role of merchant traders was to transfer goods from one part of the world to another what is wrong with that? are excesses from transfer a reason to throw out the baby with the bath water?
Coton do not grow in my native mountains and I can't wear wool (or bear skin!) all the time! Is coton wear a luxury I do not need? (for sure my grand-grand-fathers 7 generations ago did not need that! -just for your information they were also known to suffer from ailments that imported() food aleviated-)
back to compromission: some religions consider that money from lending is evil ... may be but financial tools happen to be a necessity and a good thing ... unless you abuse them! so again it needs a lot of thinking and responsiblity to gain a moral balance by which I mean a thing that benefits everybody (it is more comfortable to oversimplify and just throw everything out as "evil").

[nick]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

So if necessary, please re-state the question.

I'll give it a shot:

One kind of person will always stick to their guns. They will never compromise.

Another kind of person is willing to make compromises for the greater good and consider options that do not fit 100% with their position on an issue.

The bank bail out (from my perspective) was something I think was evil and really left a bad taste in my mouth. But there is a pretty good consensus among economists that it (along with other measures) prevented a depression. Had I had a chance, I would have voted for it, and after the fact, I think it was the correct thing to do. Even if it rewarded those who caused the problem.

The article I posted gives another great example. It doesn't feel right to reward a select few of the worst drunks and drug abusers with free apartments and other perks. Especially when so many people are struggling economically right now. Really, it feels wrong and evil to me. But if handing them $20,000 in living costs can save $100,000 in hospital bills, I'm for that as well.

I think for many people, that ethical compromise is too bitter a pill to swallow, which is really too bad.

[kamikaze]

The problem with nowadays politics is that a lot of politicians seem to have forgotten, that there are lines you must never cross, no matter the consequences.

[BillyTheMountain]

Originally Posted by nick

The bank bail out (from my perspective) was something I think was evil and really left a bad taste in my mouth. But there is a pretty good consensus among economists that it (along with other measures) prevented a depression. Had I had a chance, I would have voted for it, and after the fact, I think it was the correct thing to do. Even if it rewarded those who caused the problem.

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/tapp...banks-11240810

I don't think the CEOs who got bailed out were sufficiently rewarded for running their businesses into the ground. $10 million is just not enough. They deserve $100 million bonus (that's in addition to their salary, options, personal jet, and lifetime $$$ retirement package).

They were willing to compromise to make a difference, and they didn't even try to be right. Is that what you are promoting?

[Heretical Rants]

Originally Posted by johnfoss

I don't understand. All morality? The concept of morality? Please explain.

Any set system of absolute morals---completely counterproductive and often leads to or justifies actions that I find to be ethically wrong.

The difference, of course, is empathy. Good ethics are based on logic and empathy. Morals are just rules.

If you don't use the word morality in this way, don't worry about it. That's just the way I use the word. Some people who advocate "morality" also use the word in this way. Be aware of when this is the case.

[BillyTheMountain]

Originally Posted by Heretical Rants

Any set system of absolute morals---completely counterproductive and often leads to or justifies actions that I find to be ethically wrong.

The difference, of course, is empathy. Good ethics are based on logic and empathy. Morals are just rules.

If you don't use the word morality in this way, don't worry about it. That's just the way I use the word. Some people who advocate "morality" also use the word in this way. Be aware of when this is the case.

OOooOOO!

He's talking about your religion here!

[nick]

Originally Posted by BillyTheMountain

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/tapp...banks-11240810

I don't think the CEOs who got bailed out were sufficiently rewarded for running their businesses into the ground. $10 million is just not enough. They deserve $100 million bonus (that's in addition to their salary, options, personal jet, and lifetime $$$ retirement package).

They were willing to compromise to make a difference, and they didn't even try to be right. Is that what you are promoting?

You are dumb as a stump. Please learn to contribute something useful, otherwise I would appreciate it if you would stay the hell out of my threads.

[kamikaze]

Originally Posted by nick

You are dumb as a stump. Please learn to contribute something useful, otherwise I would appreciate it if you would stay the hell out of my threads.

Are you saying you're pro-multi-million $ bonus?

[BillyTheMountain]

Originally Posted by nick

You are dumb as a stump. Please learn to contribute something useful, otherwise I would appreciate it if you would stay the hell out of my threads.

Huh? They weren't trying to be right, just to make a difference.

What's the problem?

[johnfoss]

Originally Posted by nick

You are dumb as a stump. Please learn to contribute something useful, otherwise I would appreciate it if you would stay the hell out of my threads.

Surely you must know Billy by now. Mostly he doesn't care what people say, he just likes stirring the pot. Mostly I ignore him.

And be careful in trying to "own" threads you started. The harder you try, the less you'll be in control of them. Only Gilby truly owns the threads around here, the rest of us are just temporary tenants!

[Heretical Rants]

Originally Posted by BillyTheMountain

OOooOOO!

He's talking about your religion here!

Some specific incarnations of religion are indeed examples of this, but no.

[BillyTheMountain]

Originally Posted by Heretical Rants

Any set system of absolute morals---completely counterproductive and often leads to or justifies actions that I find to be ethically wrong.

Greed is good. --Gordon Gekko

[Grizoo]

Wowwww! you guys should get a uni or something !!!!!

[kamikaze]

Originally Posted by Grizoo

Wowwww! you guys should get a uni or something !!!!!

Sigged.