The above video got me thinking, are we really doing what is best for others when we believe we are helping them? It seems like we spare no expense in effort when we believe we are doing the right thing. Some of the worst things in history have been done by those who believed they were completely in the right. Is it any different today? Are we just setting up worse consequences for ourselves down the road by believing we are “solving” matters?
The monsters of the past truly believed that their cause and methods were the right thing to do, what makes us any different?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdih-UUJ3PA The above video got me thinking, are we really doing what is best for others when we believe we are helping them? It seems like we spare no expense in effort when we believe we are doing the right thing. Some of the worst things in history have been done by those who believed they were completely in the right. Is it any different today? Are we just setting up worse consequences for ourselves down the road by believing we are "solving" matters? The monsters of the past truly believed that their cause and methods were the right thing to do, what makes us any different?We're no different. Human nature is human nature. Lois
So then how can one be sure that we are truly doing what is good for others? Is it all just a guessing game in the end? Something where we have to wait for the future to show if we were right?
You could not be a self absorbed short sighted poor excuse for a human being who tells people that “good” isn’t actually good. You need to figure out what your values are instead of listening to crap like this.
It’s not that good isn’t actually good, it’s how people in the past used the same reasoning to justify what they were doing (when in fact it had terrible consequences). It’s just makes me wonder whether the good I think I am doing is actually good, because like the monsters of the past I also believe I am acting with the best intentions. Could I actually be doing harm by doing what I believe is right?
It's not that good isn't actually good, it's how people in the past used the same reasoning to justify what they were doing (when in fact it had terrible consequences). It's just makes me wonder whether the good I think I am doing is actually good, because like the monsters of the past I also believe I am acting with the best intentions. Could I actually be doing harm by doing what I believe is right?Of course, and you'd have plenty of company. There is no absolute definition of "good" or "right". It's completely subjective. What's seen as good or right today may be seen as bad or wrong tomorrow.
It's not that good isn't actually good, it's how people in the past used the same reasoning to justify what they were doing (when in fact it had terrible consequences). It's just makes me wonder whether the good I think I am doing is actually good, because like the monsters of the past I also believe I am acting with the best intentions. Could I actually be doing harm by doing what I believe is right?It's so oversimplified. Take his comment about "forcing democracy" on people. Very few people don't want that. Leaders might not, but the people want it. And when did we "force" it on anyone? In Iran for example, they voted in socialist leaders, so the CIA had a coup and put in a dictator, we forced dictatorship on them and created the roots of what we have there now. I have serious trouble believing those people thought they were doing good for the Iranian people, they were acting selfishly. If it wasn't bad, why did they do it secretly? Really, figuring out what "good" is, is not that hard.
It's not that good isn't actually good, it's how people in the past used the same reasoning to justify what they were doing (when in fact it had terrible consequences). It's just makes me wonder whether the good I think I am doing is actually good, because like the monsters of the past I also believe I am acting with the best intentions. Could I actually be doing harm by doing what I believe is right?It's so oversimplified. Take his comment about "forcing democracy" on people. Very few people don't want that. Leaders might not, but the people want it. And when did we "force" it on anyone? In Iran for example, they voted in socialist leaders, so the CIA had a coup and put in a dictator, we forced dictatorship on them and created the roots of what we have there now. I have serious trouble believing those people thought they were doing good for the Iranian people, they were acting selfishly. If it wasn't bad, why did they do it secretly? Really, figuring out what "good" is, is not that hard. Unless it comes back to bite you. A lot of people would think forcing Christianity--or Islam--or Communism--or fascism on people, would be "good." You have to figure out what's "good" for whom? There are always unintended consequences in addition to the intended ones. Lois
Actually Lois, a pretty good case can be made that very few actually want those things but they count those who are forced to follow as if they agree. Or they count people who have never learned any other way. Tita has choices and can research them.
It’s all a crapshoot. What if Hitler never started WW2 (roughly speaking) and therefore that baby born from an illicit love affair in France in the heat of the war was never born. And that baby would have been the one who grew up to find the cure for diseases that went on to save double the number of people killed in WW2? You just do the best you can and cross your fingers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdih-UUJ3PA The above video got me thinking, are we really doing what is best for others when we believe we are helping them? It seems like we spare no expense in effort when we believe we are doing the right thing. Some of the worst things in history have been done by those who believed they were completely in the right. Is it any different today? Are we just setting up worse consequences for ourselves down the road by believing we are "solving" matters? The monsters of the past truly believed that their cause and methods were the right thing to do, what makes us any different?Its a good question. Most people would say no, but often do-gooders make things worse in the long term while making things better in the short term. Looking into what motivates the do-gooders is really explanatory, because its usually not good.
So then how can one be sure that we are truly doing what is good for others? Is it all just a guessing game in the end? Something where we have to wait for the future to show if we were right?Unfortunately that's the truth. We do have to wait to see if we were right about most things. Some things can be predicted accurately, but many cannot be. A scientific view has the best record of making accurate predictions, but it's not perfect. Life is a crap shoot. The best we can say is that it's a little less of a crap shoot than it once was. Progress is slow.