Hmm, I Rather Think That The Central Question - Whether There's A Moral Difference Between Action And

Hmm, I rather think that the central question - whether there's a moral difference between action and inaction - is in fact very relevant, certainly in my life and probably in a lot of people’s. Like, I'm really great at negative morality, avoiding doing bad things by simply not doing anything. Which would correspond to someone who feels that they can avoid any involvement or blame by never moving the lever. But intellectually I don’t actually endorse that: I believe that inaction is a type of action, which implies that I should be more active in life despite the risk of inadvertently hurting someone and getting cancelled. Writing this rather than using my tumblr exclusively to reblog others’ posts isn’t much, but it’s a start.

my issue with the trolley problem is, and still will be, for the vast majority of people on the planet, the trolley problem is not, like, relevant

not in the sense that “OH YOU’LL NEVER BE IN THE SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE TO PULL A LEVER TO STOP A TROLLEY FROM HITTING FOUR PEOPLE THAT A MANIAC HAS TIED TO RAILROAD TRACKS”, but in the sense that when you’re in scary and dangerous situations, you are not as in control of yourself as you think you are.

in a situation like the trolley problem, outside of like… first responders, soldiers, maybe ER nurses? … I doubt most people would be able to react to a situation like that in anything approaching the way that they would game it out from ethical principles. you’d fight, flee, or freeze, and it’d have less to do with “what you strongly believe in as a person” and more to do with “what your hindbrain has learnt is effective to get you to survive emergencies in the past”. 

i think that’s what a lot of discussion about “maybe the person to blame is the one tying people to the train tracks?” is trying and failing to get at.

More Posts from Psyxe and Others

4 years ago

Moses is gone, post Golden Calf

Moses Is Gone, Post Golden Calf
4 years ago

March has some fucking nerve showing it’s face around here again

6 years ago

Your D&D class based off of your Hogwarts house

Ravenclaw: Wizard

Gryffindor: Wizard

Hufflepuff: Wizard

Slytherin: Wizard

4 years ago
The Beacons Of Gondor Are Alight, Calling For Aid. War Is Kindled. See, There Is The Fire On Amon Dîn,
The Beacons Of Gondor Are Alight, Calling For Aid. War Is Kindled. See, There Is The Fire On Amon Dîn,
The Beacons Of Gondor Are Alight, Calling For Aid. War Is Kindled. See, There Is The Fire On Amon Dîn,
The Beacons Of Gondor Are Alight, Calling For Aid. War Is Kindled. See, There Is The Fire On Amon Dîn,
The Beacons Of Gondor Are Alight, Calling For Aid. War Is Kindled. See, There Is The Fire On Amon Dîn,
The Beacons Of Gondor Are Alight, Calling For Aid. War Is Kindled. See, There Is The Fire On Amon Dîn,
The Beacons Of Gondor Are Alight, Calling For Aid. War Is Kindled. See, There Is The Fire On Amon Dîn,

The beacons of Gondor are alight, calling for aid. War is kindled. See, there is the fire on Amon Dîn, and flame on Eilenach; and there they go speeding west: Nardol, Erelas, Min-Rimmon, Calenhad, and the Halifirien on the borders of Rohan.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING

8 years ago

I think “performative social justice” is something that doesn’t get addressed often enough. That’s where much of the toxicity in otherwise well-meaning circles comes from.

What I mean by “performative” social justice is basically “discourse for the sake of discourse” - argument without the purpose of persuasion, in which abstract, theoretical problems are treated as seriously as if they were real-world issues. You see it in fandom all the time. I want to stress that this isn’t directed at anyone or anything in particular. It’s something I see all the time, from all sorts of people, and while I often agree with the points they make, I think it’s ultimately a pretty destructive way of thinking.

With the right rhetoric, you can make anything sound wicked. You can bypass a lot of reasoning and nuance if you sound like you’re confident that you have the moral high-ground (that’s the whole history of politics). And heck, sometimes you do! But you have to critically examine how you came to your conclusion. Nobody wants to seem like the bad guy, especially when a foolish statement can result in instant and viral public ridicule that can circulate for months or years - a pernicious form of Death of the Author. On Tumblr, the desire to conform to a particular opinion is largely motivated by fear. The punishment for deviance is often wildly disproportionate - I think we all know a few examples of things getting way out of hand. It’s seldom in response to things that cause actual, qualifiable harm.

Is there a fix for this? Maybe not on a large scale. But individually, I think it’s important to take a step back when you see drama and ask yourself, “Is this worth it? What am I trying to accomplish? Is this the most effective approach to achieving my goal?”

You’re allowed to disapprove of things casually. You can think something is tacky, in bad taste, or otherwise objectionable without needing to justify your perspective on a grand scale of good versus evil. You don’t need to use social justice as a method of signaling, to continually reestablish to your peers that you’re the Right Kind of Person only the Wrong Kind of People would disagree with. Be sure of yourself and of your beliefs. Accept nuance. A contrary opinion on a relatively trivial matter is not a personal attack, or an opportunity to flex your righteousness. Remember that the people you disagree with are often as vulnerable and well-meaning as you are.

4 years ago

I collected a bunch of "haha I don't have 2020 vision" "oh God not like that" posts

I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
I Collected A Bunch Of "haha I Don't Have 2020 Vision" "oh God Not Like That" Posts
6 years ago

I’m a procrustinator: I compulsively s t r e t c h out or cut short any task so that it fits exactly into the night before it’s due

Mythology puns, go!

Get to it, mortals!

7 years ago

Just so you all know..

This blog is 100% anti PETA.

We love our vegetarian and vegan friends and family (and I have a lot of them!!). We don’t support an organization that claimes to love animals and does nothing but hurt them and the people who love them.

Hugs and support to my extended dog show family at Crufts.

4 years ago

this is just a @nostalgebraist-autoresponder fan account now, I’m sorry

they should make a new type of computer that can be your friend

8 years ago

Hedgehog Inadvertently Plays a Respectable Measure of Jazz Just by Walking Atop Piano Keys

  • laughteronsilverwings
    laughteronsilverwings liked this · 2 years ago
  • koenichblabbers
    koenichblabbers reblogged this · 3 years ago
  • chokulit
    chokulit reblogged this · 3 years ago
  • edettethegreat
    edettethegreat liked this · 3 years ago
  • rocketonin
    rocketonin liked this · 4 years ago
  • hey-i-really-miss-you
    hey-i-really-miss-you liked this · 4 years ago
  • radkindaneel
    radkindaneel reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • trolley-problems-r-us
    trolley-problems-r-us reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • powered-by-eels
    powered-by-eels liked this · 4 years ago
  • radkindaneel
    radkindaneel reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • trolley-problems-r-us
    trolley-problems-r-us reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • schniggles
    schniggles liked this · 4 years ago
  • lvmvjfjhdhjffuf-blog
    lvmvjfjhdhjffuf-blog liked this · 4 years ago
  • aubjornsnightmare
    aubjornsnightmare reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • jaffacakerebellion
    jaffacakerebellion liked this · 4 years ago
  • aconfusedwriter
    aconfusedwriter liked this · 4 years ago
  • beleester
    beleester reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • hier-und-dar
    hier-und-dar reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • noblexcelestemorningstar
    noblexcelestemorningstar liked this · 4 years ago
  • psyxe
    psyxe reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • psyxe
    psyxe liked this · 4 years ago
  • vaguely-none
    vaguely-none liked this · 4 years ago
  • pilferingapples
    pilferingapples liked this · 4 years ago
  • raw-bean
    raw-bean liked this · 4 years ago
  • betweenrealities
    betweenrealities liked this · 4 years ago
  • sadbookworm
    sadbookworm liked this · 4 years ago
  • ordinarydemon
    ordinarydemon liked this · 4 years ago
  • insanetwocubes
    insanetwocubes liked this · 4 years ago
  • thirteen-jades
    thirteen-jades liked this · 4 years ago
  • beleester
    beleester liked this · 4 years ago
  • not-a-space-alien
    not-a-space-alien liked this · 4 years ago
  • hikikomourning
    hikikomourning liked this · 4 years ago
  • voidbeautiful
    voidbeautiful liked this · 4 years ago
  • pedanther
    pedanther reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • ani-mana21
    ani-mana21 reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • pedanther
    pedanther liked this · 4 years ago
  • soilrockslove
    soilrockslove liked this · 4 years ago
  • cxsmictxy
    cxsmictxy liked this · 4 years ago
  • iampikachuhearmeroar
    iampikachuhearmeroar liked this · 4 years ago
  • lachlanthesane
    lachlanthesane reblogged this · 4 years ago
  • fantasy-cartography
    fantasy-cartography liked this · 4 years ago
psyxe - Space Whale Aesop
Space Whale Aesop

help, i made a tumblr

280 posts

Explore Tumblr Blog
Search Through Tumblr Tags