What's Happened to Our Moral Compass?

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   Miebakagh57posted 3 years ago

   They're few bad eggs in the society. The majority even lacks direction more than moral value.

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2. 93

   Paragliderposted 3 years ago

   Ha ha - I'll wear the wise sage cap with due modesty! The Internet problem is one of unmoderated reinforcement which is a form of positive feedback. This distils prejudices to the point of caricature, at which point reason leaves the room.
   Understanding this is one thing; changing it, quite another!

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   1. 76

      Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

      When one attacks your whole caricature, at least max your minimize time with them.
      I'm always open, still something to learn from the opposing side.

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   2. 86

      GA Andersonposted 3 years agoin reply to this

      Since you took the bait, I will continue with that SciFi story that I think is a good analogy.
      
      The story: Some big monied news organization funded a gizmo that was capable of creating wormholes. These were only tiny wormholes, some just molecules wide, but, they were controllable and they did create a portal to other locations that could be used to see, and record, just like looking through a window.
      
      The news organization made so much money from this venture that everyone else also devoted great effort to get the same capability. They succeeded and to skip to the next step . . . soon everyone had the ability to tap into these mini remote viewers. Wormholes could pop up anywhere, there was no hiding from them.
      
      Soon enough this boon turned into a bane. There was longer such thing a as privacy. One could be on the toilet or having wild sex behind triple-locked doors and any Joe Blow with a cell phone, (or whatever the tech was that everyone had), and there could be one, or thousands watching through their private wormhole viewers
      
      Society accepted this. All the social taboos became the norm. Sex on park benches, in service ques, etc. etc. Nothing anyone did was beyond the eye of these wormholes.
      
      Then some segments revolted and found the only privacy refuge available—complete darkness. They lived their lives in total darkness, from work to sex, it was all done in the dark.
      
      It should be easy to see where this ended up. I see the net' as those wormholes. Everyone can have access. Everyone can have instant communications. And everyone gives up their privacy in exchange.
      
      For all the great things, and advancements that the internet has provided us, It also has a great price. As it allows smart collaborations, it also allows dumb ones like the Tin-foil hat society, and dangerous ones, like hate groups., and manipulative ones, like the misinformation merchants.
      
      In that SciFi story no one knew where or how to draw the line. I think the internet has the same problem.
      
      Oh well. I just thought it was a good illustration. (If I remember correctly, the story was written before the internet age)
      
      GA

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      1. 76

         Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

         Interesting, that can apply for what is happening today.
         
         For most prefer the struggle through life , I prefer the wiggle.  By reaching for the stars and bringing back what I can to earth. Leading with the heart, shortly followed by the mind. My faith leaps over the fire, where many prefer going through the fire.
         
         There are tragedies in life when handle with grace take us to new levels in life. Recently for the first time ever.  I've come across world wide tyranny by germ warfare perform by beurocrates, banks and technocrats feel like another attempt of world order. You may agree and most on earth are negativly effected by it. This is the time to bring out the shields and confront the dangerous bullies of fear or knee down to their safety of salvery for a long long time.

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      2. 93

         Paragliderposted 3 years agoin reply to this

         I think the SciFi analogy is pretty accurate. There's no doubt that the Internet is responsible for a huge rise in incivility. Or to be more accurate, it is the enabler of the phenomenon; the responsibility rests with the users. Free speech does not imply freedom from consequences.

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         1. 76

            Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

            Rather have the dangers of freedom than the safety of slavery. A balance of both, would be wonderful. Not the extreme of separation and divide now, more than i've not seen ever before

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            1. 88

               Miebakagh57posted 3 years agoin reply to this

               Then why don't you see reason in my earlier point? The wish can be foolishness to the thought!

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         2. 86

            GA Andersonposted 3 years agoin reply to this

            "Enabler" was also my first description, but I thought a bit about the magnitudes of power this enabler, (the internet), has over all others in our past and the effect seems so strong that enabler doesn't quite cover it. I think its power is more than just a matter of scale.
            
            To get back to the OP's topic; I think all, (or any), morals are culturally relative, this stands for "moral compasses" as well. So, instead of considering whether the compass is lost, consider what guides it, (because all compasses will have guides, the consideration will be less subjective), and look for losses there.
            
            My short answer is societal force, (the objective universal guide). When that changes morals change. The net' allows almost anyone to avoid or amplify almost all of those societal forces.
            
            GA

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      3. 76

         tsmogposted 3 years agoin reply to this

         I like the story and, Yes, a great commentary regarding the world wide web's influence on us today. I thought about it yesterday, Thanksgiving, as myself and three family members sat on couch. There we were with a 65" TV before us with an exciting football game on.A period of silence fell for a little while.
         
         I glanced at the other three and they were all looking at their phones and scrolling along a feed grasping this and that by an image and/or a minimal character count lost or hidden in their own private world. (Individualism?) I don't own a smart phone, so a definite contrast.
         
         Lost was the interactions of "Great play", "That should have been a penalty", cheering, banter because of bets, and so forth. (Community/ollectivism?) Or, ,maybe the game got boring? I don't think it is a reflection of family stuff as their was plenty of that throughout the day. It was just at that moment I thought of your story.

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         1. 86

            GA Andersonposted 3 years agoin reply to this

            I get that `screen thing' at my house too. Some even tried it at the dinner table, but that was a no-go for me and I told them so. :-)
            
            GA

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            Credence2posted 3 years agoin reply to this

            Who is surprised? People that wait in queue rather then engage in conversation with others waiting, are engrossed in their cell phones.

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3. 88

   Miebakagh57posted 3 years ago

   Science fictions are not real, so are imaginary stories.                                               But they application has brought much benefit and adverse effect on human kind and the lower spices.                                                             The application of such stories has land man on the Moon and Mars and they stay put there for months.                                                        And of course, the man with the worst imaginary science fiction mind is Albert Einsten,  who is instrucmental to the  Atomic Bomb exp5oration.

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   1. 76

      Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

      My work and love of sandcastles, snow playground, tiny houses with urban farming for most waking hours of my life. Is more real than most people's dissatisfied jobs, exspeically public servants.
      
      Einstein did not wish nuclear power, that it would also turned into bombs.
      Everyone makes mistakes.
      
      He said I am enough of an artist to draw freely upon my imagination. Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
      
      For everything person and everything they have ever achieved in life, was all once imagined first 
      
      I dare you to achieve anything without imagination. We can compare records of accomplishments, anytime..

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      1. 88

         Miebakagh57posted 3 years agoin reply to this

         I think you had not read me well.                                I said that imagination is beneficial. And on the other hand, it had an adverse effect also, making my point a balanced view.                                     Seriously, I couldn't agree more or less with any circle or angle you inclined to, to confront me.                                              That said, what's your sand castle and tiny rabbit hole to me? I would prefer to have learn a foreign language. That even required the imagination. Don't ever throw hammars in this forum. Just throw it on your sand castle. Much thanks.

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         1. 76

            Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

            Unless I didn't have integrity for simple ethics. So how would my imagination of good intentions steer me in a flawed way?

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            1. 88

               Miebakagh57posted 3 years agoin reply to this

               That's your trouble.

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               1. 76

                  Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                  What, My simple good ethics, imagination and good intentions will steer me into troubles?
                  
                  If my solutions are slavery to billionaire and Gods. Good luck, only true love and kindness can catch me.
                  
                  I knock a hammer off scaffold onto my 67 foot tall sandsculpture then quickly fixed it. Had millions of people still  enjoy it's beauty.
                  Don't be a kill joy.

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                  1. 88

                     Miebakagh57posted 3 years agoin reply to this

                     To your first sentense and whole first paragraphe, I say yes.                                                                                 And by the way, who's throwing hammar at your sand sculptor? It's you imagining that as you like to be weird under a bong! I'm good to go, okay?

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                     1. 76

                        Castlepalomaposted 3 years agoin reply to this

                        My castle are 6 stories tall. I pack sand and water into wood boxes. Stand on the boxes like scaffold, then remove the wood with a hammer giving sand as hard as sandstone. The odd time a hammer may fall off the scaffolding.
                        
                        Had sandcastle last up to two years and outside as Long as I want indoors.
                        Sandsculptors generally make more money than wood carvers.

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