Cognisant
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- Dec 12, 2009
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Kant's method for determining a categorical imperative is to consider whether an action would be permissible for everyone to do to determine whether that action is permissible for you, because if it isn't permissible for them then by the same logic it isn't permissible for you.
For the most part I think people understand this intuitively and abide by it and are generally moral people, except when an "us vs them" dynamic is perceived. If you have evidence of a war crime of course you report it because if people didn't do that it would be detrimental to everyone, including yourself. But if the war crime was committed by your country and publicizing it would be detrimental to your country, is that different, does that absolve you of your moral obligation?
It doesn't but that's how people think, that "us vs them" dynamic short-circuits our moral decision making and I'm labeling this phenomenon "barbarism" because it is essentially the antithesis of civility. Wherever people perceive an "us vs them" dynamic they will resort to barbaric behavior, things like exploitation, deception, intimidation and violence, these are all just methods people use to get ahead of the supposed competition which for the most part doesn't actually exist.
For the most part success is achieved by cooperation.
Unfortunately the modern world is full of ideologies that perpetuate barbarism like nationalism, religion and even sport, I remember having to hide my blue shirt when walking home from work because the big interstate rugby game was being played and blue was the other state's color, I risked being attacked (and was hassled a few times) for wearing the wrong color which had nothing to do with anything!
The whole social justice thing doesn't help either, I'm all for equality and not giving a damn about anyone's race or gender or sexual orientation but that's not what it is these days, if anything they're worse than the racists, sexists, whatever, in how they idolize diversity for its own sake and seek to make everything political along lines of race/gender/orientation.
They're barbarians!
And yes I'm aware of the inherent barbarism of labeling people barbarians, it's a matter of degree.
How do we tackle this problem, how do we break down the many biases that have divided us?
Is it simply a consequence of individuality? Are we inherently barbaric?
For the most part I think people understand this intuitively and abide by it and are generally moral people, except when an "us vs them" dynamic is perceived. If you have evidence of a war crime of course you report it because if people didn't do that it would be detrimental to everyone, including yourself. But if the war crime was committed by your country and publicizing it would be detrimental to your country, is that different, does that absolve you of your moral obligation?
It doesn't but that's how people think, that "us vs them" dynamic short-circuits our moral decision making and I'm labeling this phenomenon "barbarism" because it is essentially the antithesis of civility. Wherever people perceive an "us vs them" dynamic they will resort to barbaric behavior, things like exploitation, deception, intimidation and violence, these are all just methods people use to get ahead of the supposed competition which for the most part doesn't actually exist.
For the most part success is achieved by cooperation.
Unfortunately the modern world is full of ideologies that perpetuate barbarism like nationalism, religion and even sport, I remember having to hide my blue shirt when walking home from work because the big interstate rugby game was being played and blue was the other state's color, I risked being attacked (and was hassled a few times) for wearing the wrong color which had nothing to do with anything!
The whole social justice thing doesn't help either, I'm all for equality and not giving a damn about anyone's race or gender or sexual orientation but that's not what it is these days, if anything they're worse than the racists, sexists, whatever, in how they idolize diversity for its own sake and seek to make everything political along lines of race/gender/orientation.
They're barbarians!
And yes I'm aware of the inherent barbarism of labeling people barbarians, it's a matter of degree.
How do we tackle this problem, how do we break down the many biases that have divided us?
Is it simply a consequence of individuality? Are we inherently barbaric?