Zone1 Does the world still need good people, or are we all free to become monsters now?

[Dante]

Substack. Sam Harris has asked the question: "Does the world still need good people, or are we all free to become monsters now?"

He mentions "personal integrity," and posits an argument of a slippery slope - "The day we celebrate our children for their selfishness and cruelty will be the point of no return."

Does the world still need good people, or are we all free to become monsters now?​

​

It may seem priggish to say it, given the current “vibe shift,” but we really can’t give up on personal integrity just yet. The day we celebrate our children for their selfishness and cruelty will be the point of no return.​

​

Clearly, we need systems and institutions that can withstand the intrusions of a charismatic psychopath. We also need ones that can resist when otherwise normal people behave like psychopaths (e.g. on social media). However, if we want to live in good societies—where most games are positive-sum and decency is the norm—there is no substitute for having a sufficient number of people who are actually good, or struggling to be so.​

​

It is, therefore, ominous that our political culture now celebrates figures who are obviously unethical—liars, bullies, and conmen—many of whom see no reason to even pretend to harbor deeper values or virtues. Whatever your politics, President Trump has said and done a thousand things that should make it impossible to admire him as a person—and he will commit further atrocities this week. Elon Musk has achieved a similarly vile orbit—lying with abandon, making common cause with racists and lunatics, and pointlessly defaming ordinary people—it seems, just for the fun of it. Both men are conspicuous for the degree to which they still resemble children, having retained a juvenile sense of entitlement, recklessness, and self-absorption. Both are already cautionary tales about the corrupting influences of fame, wealth, and power—even as they continue to achieve new heights...​

I have to wonder how many people who voted for Trump (not necessarily the hard base), feel about the Elephant(s) in the room. The morality that seems to put aside in favor of what -- petty revenge, payback, righting perceived wrongs (real and imagined), cultural issues...

It goes on and on. Forces beyond the control of people continue to rend, rip apart the very fabric of the American polity.

 

[deannalw]

Substack. Sam Harris has asked the question: "Does the world still need good people, or are we all free to become monsters now?"

He mentions "personal integrity," and posits an argument of a slippery slope - "The day we celebrate our children for their selfishness and cruelty will be the point of no return."

Does the world still need good people, or are we all free to become monsters now?​

​

It may seem priggish to say it, given the current “vibe shift,” but we really can’t give up on personal integrity just yet. The day we celebrate our children for their selfishness and cruelty will be the point of no return.​

​

Clearly, we need systems and institutions that can withstand the intrusions of a charismatic psychopath. We also need ones that can resist when otherwise normal people behave like psychopaths (e.g. on social media). However, if we want to live in good societies—where most games are positive-sum and decency is the norm—there is no substitute for having a sufficient number of people who are actually good, or struggling to be so.​

​

It is, therefore, ominous that our political culture now celebrates figures who are obviously unethical—liars, bullies, and conmen—many of whom see no reason to even pretend to harbor deeper values or virtues. Whatever your politics, President Trump has said and done a thousand things that should make it impossible to admire him as a person—and he will commit further atrocities this week. Elon Musk has achieved a similarly vile orbit—lying with abandon, making common cause with racists and lunatics, and pointlessly defaming ordinary people—it seems, just for the fun of it. Both men are conspicuous for the degree to which they still resemble children, having retained a juvenile sense of entitlement, recklessness, and self-absorption. Both are already cautionary tales about the corrupting influences of fame, wealth, and power—even as they continue to achieve new heights...​

I have to wonder how many people who voted for Trump (not necessarily the hard base), feel about the Elephant(s) in the room. The morality that seems to put aside in favor of what -- petty revenge, payback, righting perceived wrongs (real and imagined), cultural issues...

It goes on and on. Forces beyond the control of people continue to rend, rip apart the very fabric of the American polity.

Control your hysterics, sir.

 

[shockedcanadian]

G-d has a cruel sense of humour or perhaps evil is just more powerful. It seems that we as a society are devolving.

 

[The Irish Ram]

D, have you heard about what is happening to children all over this world? It's not the children who are selfish and cruel. And it's not this group, or that group, it is all the groups. Morality? Morality has nowhere to land. We need to shine above the rest. Instead, "losing" children has become one of our biggest exports. If I was God, I'd have turned this rock into a cinder by now.

 

[Dante]

Control your hysterics, sir.

Stop trolling. It's a serious set of ideas based on realities on the ground. If you have nothing of any quality to add, or are only interested in drive-by-troll-posts, I suggest you move on.

 

[Dante]

G-d has a cruel sense of humour or perhaps evil is just more powerful. It seems that we as a society are devolving.

On some levels we are. On some levels it is evident part of humanity is trying to resist the power of the void.

 

[The Irish Ram]

G-d has a cruel sense of humour or perhaps evil is just more powerful. It seems that we as a society are devolving.

God isn't cruel, shocked. This is not His domain. Adam gave dominion of this earth to Lucifer. Remember when Satan tempted Jesus in the desert? What did Satan offer Jesus? He offered Him everything, because he owns everything.
Satan's reign has an expiration date. Until then, evil is in charge here until Christ returns and takes it back.

 

[Dante]

D, have you heard about what is happening to children all over this world? It's not the children who are selfish and cruel. And it's not this group, or that group, it is all the groups. Morality? Morality has nowhere to land. We need to shine above the rest. Instead, "losing" children has become one of our biggest exports. If I was God, I'd have turned this rock into a cinder by now.

What is happening to children all over the world? Being bombed and massacred in wars? I believe most children are hurt by their own families and friends of the families. Any illness/crimes involved with physically hurting children has been a thing since Day 1 of humanity. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The emotional abuse of children is often at the hands of parents who may have skewed ideas of morality

 

[Dante]

God isn't cruel, shocked. This is not His domain. Adam gave dominion of this earth to Lucifer. Remember when Satan tempted Jesus in the desert? What did Satan offer Jesus? He offered Him everything, because he owns everything.
Satan's reign has an expiration date. Until then, evil is in charge here until Christ returns and takes it back.

Some of us have no higher power, no god. So we get a cold, hard look at humanity.

 

[Donald H]

Substack. Sam Harris has asked the question: "Does the world still need good people, or are we all free to become monsters now?"

He mentions "personal integrity," and posits an argument of a slippery slope - "The day we celebrate our children for their selfishness and cruelty will be the point of no return."

Does the world still need good people, or are we all free to become monsters now?​

​

It may seem priggish to say it, given the current “vibe shift,” but we really can’t give up on personal integrity just yet. The day we celebrate our children for their selfishness and cruelty will be the point of no return.​

​

Clearly, we need systems and institutions that can withstand the intrusions of a charismatic psychopath. We also need ones that can resist when otherwise normal people behave like psychopaths (e.g. on social media). However, if we want to live in good societies—where most games are positive-sum and decency is the norm—there is no substitute for having a sufficient number of people who are actually good, or struggling to be so.​

​

It is, therefore, ominous that our political culture now celebrates figures who are obviously unethical—liars, bullies, and conmen—many of whom see no reason to even pretend to harbor deeper values or virtues. Whatever your politics, President Trump has said and done a thousand things that should make it impossible to admire him as a person—and he will commit further atrocities this week. Elon Musk has achieved a similarly vile orbit—lying with abandon, making common cause with racists and lunatics, and pointlessly defaming ordinary people—it seems, just for the fun of it. Both men are conspicuous for the degree to which they still resemble children, having retained a juvenile sense of entitlement, recklessness, and self-absorption. Both are already cautionary tales about the corrupting influences of fame, wealth, and power—even as they continue to achieve new heights...​

I have to wonder how many people who voted for Trump (not necessarily the hard base), feel about the Elephant(s) in the room. The morality that seems to put aside in favor of what -- petty revenge, payback, righting perceived wrongs (real and imagined), cultural issues...

It goes on and on. Forces beyond the control of people continue to rend, rip apart the very fabric of the American polity.

It's nothing more than the American working class being so thoroughly fucked by the establishment, that they turned to a psychopath for relief. The relief won't come, Trump will likely be whacked, and they'll turn back to the same old American way of inequality. Three billionaires own the wealth of the lower half of the population! Go figure!

Trump is already doing a 180 on his sanctions. Just too stupid and unpopular for even his magas!

I'm concerned about the loyalty of his SS agents having his back!
Both because he could dick around with America's war against Russia, and now the hairbrained sanctions idea too.

 

[deannalw]

Stop trolling. It's a serious set of ideas based on realities on the ground. If you have nothing of any quality to add, or are only interested in drive-by-troll-posts, I suggest you move on.

Oh brother.

We have always been free to be whatever type monster we wish to become.

This is nothing new.

There are consequences to every decision we make, but we can still make them.

 

[Dante]

It's nothing more than the American working class being so thoroughly fucked by the establishment, that they turned to a psychopath for relief. The relief won't come, Trump will likely be whacked, and they'll turn back to the same old American way of inequality. Three billionaires own the wealth of the lower half of the population! Go figure!

Trump is already doing a 180 on his sanctions. Just too stupid and unpopular for even his magas!

I'm concerned about the loyalty of his SS agents having his back!
Both because he could dick around with America's war against Russia, and now the hairbrained sanctions idea too.

The psychopath you refer to has company. And that company is one of elites.

In many ways, people who feel or think like you do, merely switch who gets to screw them.

Secret Service surrounds Trump with bullet proof glass now. He'll be okay. It's the impending doom he feels that is killing him. Stroke or Heart Attack could be coming. Hope he has real experts and doctors nearby, rather than the nutty doctors he usually has around

 

[Dante]

Oh brother.

We have always been free to be whatever type monster we wish to become.

This is nothing new.

There are consequences to every decision we make, but we can still make them.

Hell has frozen over.

Cocytus lives!

 

[Donald H]

The psychopath you refer to has company. And that company is one of elites.

Yes, he can be replaced, but the replacement will gel the message too that he/she better smarten up.

In many ways, people who feel or think like you do, merely switch who gets to screw them.

I'm a Canadian in case you don't know.

Secret Service surrounds Trump with bullet proof glass now. He'll be okay. It's the impending doom he feels that is killing him. Stroke or Heart Attack could be coming. Hope he has real experts and doctors nearby, rather than the nutty doctors he usually has around

The point is, Trump's behaviour is intolerable to the establishment. Especially if he interferes in America's war against Russia. America's future as the world's leading superpower is dependent on defeating Russia.

Didn't Trudeau just blow up America's oil self-sufficiency myth?

 

[Donald H]

All your imaginary god shit is bogus. Not a single Christian is willing to say the bibles are true.

It's true Dante, there's not a single Christian brave enough to defend their biblel's bullshit on Genesis.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

It is, therefore, ominous that our political culture now celebrates figures who are obviously unethical—liars, bullies, and conmen—many of whom see no reason to even pretend to harbor deeper values or virtues.

That's the case for conservative political culture.

 

[C_Clayton_Jones]

Trump has said and done a thousand things that should make it impossible to admire him as a person—and he will commit further atrocities this week.

Yet conservatives do the impossible and continue to admire Trump.

 

[Dante]

That's the case for conservative political culture.

Yet conservatives do the impossible and continue to admire Trump.

all too true

 

[Dante]

Yes, he can be replaced, but the replacement will gel the message too that he/she better smarten up.

I'm a Canadian in case you don't know.

The point is, Trump's behaviour is intolerable to the establishment. Especially if he interferes in America's war against Russia. America's future as the world's leading superpower is dependent on defeating Russia.

Didn't Trudeau just blow up America's oil self-sufficiency myth?

I believe you are wrong on the geopolitical issues.

 

[Dante]

I'm a Canadian in case you don't know.

My family helped found British Canada back in the 1700s. Still have a family farm there.