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Tyler Mills’s avatar
Tyler Mills​·​#4977​·​

Are pacifism, socialism and compromise all short-termist?

Pacifism reduces casualties --- in the short term.

Socialism reduces poverty --- in the short term.

Compromise reduces disappointment --- in the short term.

Criticized2*
Martin Thaulow’s avatar
Martin Thaulow​·​#5334​·​

Related: Lying reduces conflict - in the short term.

I prefer the term macro economists use: Borrowing from the future. It can work out in the long term, if the future cooperates, for instance it is possible to get away with a lie. But it’s always a very risky gamble, since the future is very uncertain, and therefore it is not a good strategy.

Criticism of #4977
Martin Thaulow’s avatar
Martin Thaulow​·​#5335​·​

On tangent to this, I think consequentialism is not a theory of ethics at all, it’s just borrowing from the future as well. Anchoring moral action to predicted (prophecied) consequences is nothing more than an attempt to sidestep ethical deliberation completely.

In other words, it is evil.