Is doing the wrong thing for the right reasons ever acceptable?

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   friendlywebguyposted 7 years ago

   Is doing the wrong thing for the right reasons ever acceptable?
   
   Feel free to explain your point of view by using specific examples.

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2. 83

   tamarawilhiteposted 7 years ago

   No, because if it were moral, it would be the right thing to do. And your reasons are irrelevant to the morality.
   
   We have a problem today where too many people base morality on feelings, such that if it feels good it is good and if it feels bad it is bad.
   This results in people demanding censorship and insane accommodations because of X person or group's feelings. This is made worse by authoritarian liberals physically assaulting people in the name of fighting hate (saying they are love, opponents are hate, thus justifying violence on all who disagree). Dr. Jordan Peterson is right that this morality based on emotions combined with equating words with violence is fascism, since it lets you say "he expressed an opinion I don't like, he attacked me, let's go kill him". There is precedence for this in Islam equating speech to an attack on the ideology that must be met with murder.
   That someone can say they are doing it for the right/moral reason of X oppressed group does not make the action right. That someone can issue death threats or destroy property for someone sharing facts contrary to their "narrative" is a reflection of their own narcissism and viciousness.
   Their feelings do not dictate morality, and those who deny others their rights for the sake of mollifying the perpetually outraged are committing a great wrong even if they think it is for a good reason.
   We should stand by our individual rights of freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom of belief, freedom from assault by others, right to property not to be torched and torn up no matter how right X group thinks their reasons are ... because letting them deny others their basic rights to life, liberty and property, letting them hurt others who disagree is doing the wrong thing for what may seem like the right reason.

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      friendlywebguyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      How do you feel about telling white lies? What about stealing food for your starving kids? Or what about killing in war to protect the lives of millions of others?
      
      I'm not arguing here, just posing an opposite point of view.

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   fpherj48posted 7 years ago

   TFWG....I'll just have to admit that I would not even attempt to offer a solid, sensible answer to your question, based on it's generalization.  I know I would have any number of acceptable responses, had your question presented some sort of example or brief explanation as to "What wrong things~~& what right reasons" you're suggesting.
   I certainly hope that you don't truly believe that "the end never justifies the means," because that's nonsense when dealing with human nature.
   Further, as adults, there are occasions & benign reasons that we may need to be "creative" so to speak when dealing with the tender psyches of children.
   Also, in times of life & death crises...in which I am well-experienced. Without a doubt, there ARE situations when the outcome must be very carefully considered.
   I trust you can understand my response.  "Happy New Year."

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   1. 64

      friendlywebguyposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      I made the question pretty general on purpose. I wanted to see some of the interesting responses and different point of views. Thanks for sharing and "Happy New Year!"

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