If you're only a decent person when consistently threatened into being one, you're not a decent person. I say we get rid of the system that rewards and encourages the worst parts of humanity.

[–] randy@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

You aren't wrong, but ultimately actions matter more than reasons. I'd rather have someone acting decent out of fear rather than acting indecent.

[–] dingus@lemmy.ml 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Bullshit. This is how Christianity works. People fear damnation for their darkest impulses and they don't hold back because they've become a better human and realize why those are dark impulses, they hold back and don't do it because they're afraid of sky-daddy.

I've literally had one of these fucking freaks approach a philosophy group I was part of at a local coffee shop. It became creepily more and more apparent, as he kept referring to scenarios like rape and murder, that really the only thing holding him back was fear of Holy retribution. He basically admitted that if he were to become an atheist like us that "nothing would stop him."

It was eye opening and fucking disturbing, so no, I don't agree at all that "ultimately actions matter more than reasons."

[–] lightrush@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 year ago

Well you just explained that it works. And that's what parent cares about. There are many actions we take out of fear on average that aren't extremes. For example paying taxes. I bet that a huge chunk of people who don't understand the need, from many stripes and for many reasons would stop paying if not for the fear of consequences.