linda asked...
Asked by linda - 03/09/09 at 02:09 pmIs it ever acceptable to make people feel small, miserable and frightened in order to make them do what you want them to do for the sake of expediency?
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September 3rd, 2009 at 4:01 pm
From an ethical perspective this action would most likely be viewed as unacceptable by most, whether it is carried out on an individual level as in the case of abuse or harassment, or on mass where a group is taken advantage of or persecuted.
Unfortunately the sad truth is that pressure and fear are inherent human traits that are often exploited to act as the foundation for entire socio-political frameworks.
Capitalism for example is largely dependent on being able to take advantage of less prosperous nations where goods can be produced more cheaply, this often leads to poor working conditions, where people have to work extremely hard for very little pay for genuine fear of starvation, in these situations they are often poorly treated, may suffer threats and endure hardship, however the sustainability of capitalism is reliant on taking advantage of these people.
Communism too, is based on an implied threat that people must act for the good of the regime or suffer the consequences.
I suppose that it comes down to what is socially acceptable to the individuals being put under pressure, the West can be all too quick to protest against countries like China for its ‘human rights’ abuses, however China is a country that has been run ruthlessly efficiently and effectively for thousands of years, ensuring their own sustainability as a nation, perhaps taking away the degree of control those in power have had would be detrimental in the long term if it leads to an over populated country that cannot sustain itself.
It’s all a delicate balancing act of ethics and human nature.
September 27th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
If you let me, why not? Let me elaborate by asking the following question: “Is it ever acceptable to allow people to make me feel small, miserable and frightened sothat I do what they want me to do for the sake of expediency?”