Quote:
Originally Posted by fjtorres
Thanks; that's a better statement of my position than I've mustered. 
I just think that human capacity for self-delusion is near-infinite and that the "smaller" the evil the easier it is to rationalize it away.
And it's not just criminals that do it; think of jerks and egotists. Politicians. Used car salesmen.
Those folks dish out small harms to the world like lawn sprinklers: It doesn't take long for the tally to add up to pretty substantial levels.
Few are actual psychopaths or sociopaths, though: they just lack empathy because they never stop to think about the consequences of their actions--they just never question themselves.
(Or would you consider those folks to be fanatical? I tend to reserve that for incipient mono-maniacs, but...) |
Hey! I give lip-service to all the right causes. I'm PC. I vote the right way. I must, therefore, be a good person.
If I took your $20 while your back was turned, then it must have been the right thing to do. Besides, I'm a bit short of cash right now, I gave a dime to a hobo once, and you probably stole it in the first place.