Attitude

[2ndRateMind]

Should we be ethical or expedient in our personal and political choices?

Not that these are necessarily always in direct opposition; sometimes it may be moral to be expedient, or expedient to be moral. But sometimes they are. Sometimes, it seems to me, we should be uncompromising in our values, and to hell with the consequences. Or do you think this a naïvely idealistic approach to a complex world?

For example only, should we support global human rights before jobs in our economy, or jobs in our economy before global human rights?

Best wishes, 2RM.

[Divine Insight]

For me personally, I would put global human rights above any monetary or economic considerations. And I'm basically a secularist, so this is my own preference. But it's my understanding that this is also what the Christian Christ taught as well.

[2ndRateMind]

[Replying to post 2 by Divine Insight]

So, I'm not sure the concept of human rights had been fully developed in Jesus' age. But He taught ethics first, 'and the rest shall be added unto you'* and I have the impression that He would agree with you.

Best wishes, 2RM.

*Matthew 6:33 KJV

[Bust Nak]

[Replying to post 1 by 2ndRateMind]

Ethical when you can afford it, expedient when you can't.

[2ndRateMind]

[Replying to post 1 by 2ndRateMind]

Ethical when you can afford it, expedient when you can't.

And do you think that maxim to be ethical, expedient, or both, or neither?

Best wishes, 2RM.

[The Tanager]

As always, it depends on what you mean by 'expedient'. Many often think of the expedient option as being the most immediately beneficial, but some definitions do not seem to limit it to immediate consequences. Ultimately, I think the ethical is always better long term than something that is unethical. I'm not sure that necessarily means being uncompromising, but you'd have to explain what you mean there more fully for a proper comparison of our views.

[bluethread]

For me personally, I would put global human rights above any monetary or economic considerations. And I'm basically a secularist, so this is my own preference. But it's my understanding that this is also what the Christian Christ taught as well.

So, how can you be on this site, since electronics are manufactured for the most part in countries with bad human rights records?

[Divine Insight]

For me personally, I would put global human rights above any monetary or economic considerations. And I'm basically a secularist, so this is my own preference. But it's my understanding that this is also what the Christian Christ taught as well.

So, how can you be on this site, since electronics are manufactured for the most part in countries with bad human rights records?

I didn't see any label on my computer that says that any human rights were violated during its construction.

And anyway, if you want to point to countries that violate human rights you can start by pointing to the USA. Americans are notorious at violating the human rights of other, especially of non-Americans and immigrants. They even violate the human rights of other Americans based on race, gender, sexual orientation, political party, and yes, even based on religious and philosophical views.

So even if the computer was made in America it would still be made by a country with an extremely bad human rights record.

I can hardly be held responsible for the disgusting nature of so many humans. I didn't create them. You'll need to see their creator for an explanation of why the creator created humans to be so disgusting.

Or, if you're a secularist, then you already know why some humans aren't yet fully evolved.

[2ndRateMind]

As always, it depends on what you mean by 'expedient'. Many often think of the expedient option as being the most immediately beneficial, but some definitions do not seem to limit it to immediate consequences. Ultimately, I think the ethical is always better long term than something that is unethical. I'm not sure that necessarily means being uncompromising, but you'd have to explain what you mean there more fully for a proper comparison of our views.

By 'expedient' I simply mean gaining some (often short term) advantage, whether financial or other.

Best wishes, 2RM.

[Bust Nak]

[Replying to post 5 by 2ndRateMind]

I think it is effective. It is ethical in some instances and expedient in others.