i did a bit of a search for past topics, i dont *think* this has specifically been discussed... if it has, sorry -_-;

so, i'm curious: What sorts of ethics do the various folk here hold? What do you figure makes a fellow "good" or "bad," or makes actions "good" or "bad"? Do you prescribe to any specific ethical system (utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, etc etc), or have you just made something up specifically for yourself? Even if people havent really *thought* of it in detail, i think it's safe to say we all live by our own sorts of ethical codes, whether formal or informal...

so, what's yours?

(just as a note: Certainly, i would hope this topic wouldnt turn into a flame where folk insult the ethical systems of others, so... even if you dont believe in ultra-relativism, perhaps you might just pretend to be an ultra-relativist for the purpose of this thread...)

and... well, yeah.

-Undecided

Human societal values.

I don't believe in objective morality. This doesn't mean I feel any less appalled than the next person when reading about a grisly murder or a newly convicted pedophile. I try to act in a manner that is the most beneficial and least harmful to the people immediately affected. While I understand how and why people can hate, I'm put off by hatred (not anger; anger can harbour creativity) and I cannot feel any negative emotion stronger than dislike toward others. I'm also very much a pacifist, believing in the innate value of every human being. Think Gandhi minus the theological underpinnings.

My ethics won't work for everybody, and as such, I don't subscribe to any one system of morality. I don't wish to force my values on anyone else or even suggest that an ideal society would consist of people with similar ethics. Diversity makes life interesting.

I believe that behavior depends on the situation. What may be wrong in one context may be perfectly logical in another. Basically, if I were to come up with one rule for life it would be: Don't be obnoxious. To me, that means treat all people the way you'd like to be treated (at least to their faces) and cause as little damage as posible

People who go out of their way to make people look bad so they can look good about themselves. I always try to let people know I don't think they're stupid for something they may have done. I know if I were in their place, I'd want the same.

I can't stand people who value money over anything else, especially friends and family. I grew up in a family where money made everything better. If there was a scratch on the car, it would be fussed over a lot more than if I had hurt myself. All money is to me is a way to survive. Sure I like buying new things, who doesn't? But I don't care to show off what I have to others. I buy things for my own enjoyment, not to impress people. And I certainly wouldn't value anything material I own over my loved ones.

I also can't stand cruelty to animals. I can't understand how people can think that animals don't feel and hurt and don't have souls. How can children abuse animals, throw rocks and birds, crush small mice in their hands? When I was a kid, I knew enough that animals can feel as well as we do. I especially have a soft spot for fish. I hate hearing people who go on about how gold fish are dumb and they put them in these small bowls, neglect them, and wonder why they die. I've had the same goldfish for three years now. I know when they're sick, and I know when they're unhappy. I also realise that the poor things need to sleep too and don't leave the light on 24/7. >_> Last summer I was in NFLD for our yearly visit. My young cousin had a crab in her hand and another kid was shaking her hand, which cause the back of the crab to rip off. I couldn't believe it! An hour later it was still wriggling upside down in the water with it's shell ripped off. That disturbed me to no end...

As for being nice to people: I will very rarely be nice to someone I don't like. I will not go on like nothing's wrong, making the person think I like them when I don't. To me, that's a lot meaner than just letting them know you don't like them or not talking to them at all. Why pretend to like someone? It'll just hurt them more in the long run. I guess I just can't stand fake people. I'd hate to be lead on, thinking someone liked me when they didn't. And the whole 'talking behind people's backs then being nice to them to their face'. If someone has a problem with me, I want them to tell me, not complain to everyone then act all nice around me like nothing's wrong.



Edited By Avitue on 1091166416

holy hell...
avitue, er... what happened to the crab?

(i've never thought of whether a crab could survive without part of its shell...)

gah...

-Undecided

I don't know... I had seen it wriggling there before we left. I wonder how long it took to die or for a bird to find it there... That still bothers me. And no one else there seemed to care. =__=

I have a very strict belief system that I don't allow myself to divulge from, not that I have any reason too. I made it up myself, it's a mix of several different religions, and I love it. I'm eatting better (or worse depending how you look at it), and I'm generally happier. My ethics are very high, and deeply moral. I honor life in any manner I can, (this includes putting live insects that have been knocked over right side up, and volunteering with the developmentally disabled). I spent much of my life up to this point living in the shadows of other people, and facing down a lot of discrimination. I treat others as I would want them to treat me, and expect no less from anyone else. I just want people to be happy; I even find myself trying to help people I don't really like, don't know why, but I do.

I agree with what Avitue said about the animals, I worked with horses for several years, and people that I worked with in the stables talked about other horse owners who stabled their horses there, and how badly they abused they're horses when they acted up even a little (neglecting them, beating them, etc.) I weep for those animals, I truely weep. They deserve soft green pastures, and a light work load, not the abusive hands of the cruel owner.

I realize at this point I'm rambling without any direction, I guess I'm just trying to say that I'm nice, maybe too nice. But I just want to be remembered as the person who helped lift someone up, not cast them down.

I just try to be good to others , that's not to say I always am .

My ethics are pretty simple,
I find myself getting upset when people are cruel to animals, Seeing people treat their pets or any other animals like trash sickens me. Whether it's a bug or a horse, That doesnt mean you can mistreat it. Another thing that really gets me mad is lying, Like Avitue I try to make it pretty obvious when I dislike someone even if it means sitting them down and explaining why I dislike them. When people mistreat the less fortunate, I hear a lot about homeless people being murdered or beaten up it's just sad that some people feel that since their down on their luck it makes them lesser human beings.

Definitly cruelty to animals, if a big person hurts or picks on a smaller person, that isnt considered right, why shouldnt it be the same for animals? , if not more important.
Also, i try not to let my own indulgances affect anyone else, example smoking.

Alright my ethics are wired but best fit me as a person.
I have very very strong feelings towards animals, I believe they have feelings, have souls, and can on the most part think as well. Now when I see animals being beaten by assholes of my species I tend to flip cause what can the animals do back? If they try and defend themselves they'll just get put down, but people still get some sorta power high becuase they're incharge of this poor animals life and they know ultimately they can do what ever they want with it...This makes me sick to my stomache. I'm gonna stop on the animal thing now becuase I can keeep preaching about it.

On the most part I really dont like people, certain ones I like right away but most of em I dont like until I get to know them a little more, I really dont mean to be this way its just that I've had a very rough childhood and it was people making it hell for me, people I didnt know and people I thought I could trust or thought were my friends and all I could think is why are they doing this to me, I dont even know them. No one ever helped me and there wasnt a day when somone didnt try to beat on me or just make my life hell at school, and I hear about all this crimes humans are doing to thier own kind I just cant grasp the concept of why or how, but I follow the saying do on to others as you would have done onto you. So I dont bother anyone i'm not really voilent or angry by nature im a more quite, deep thinking, lonewolf type of person now. If i'm being attacked verbally or physically though I will not hesitate to defend myself.

Oh yeah and I smoke, drink, eat whatever I want, I like to smoke a root here and there, and I love sex. I do all this becuase I look at those people out there that will not do this or wouldnt dream of doing that, and I think "what a waste of life"
Like as far as I'm concerned You only live once that you know of so fuckin live it up man, everyday should fun and exciting becuase you know what one day your gonna wake up old, lonley and decrepid and think where did all the time go? well I want to be able to say Yeah I did that and Yeah I tried that,and oh yea I remember doing tat when I was your age you know?
SO LIVE IT BECUASE ULTIMATELY WE ARE ALL JUST WAITING TO DIE.....
-Pain



Edited By Angelic_Pain on 1091462280

I treat others like I want them tyo treat me...at least I try.
And I love animals and if they are tortured it makes me want to vomit. So basically I treat others with the amount of respect they deserve and hope that they will respect me with the amount I deserve.

I admit, unfortunately, that sometimes I find I have no respect for certain people, without having met them properly. A kind of prejudice, not for looks or origins, but for the way some people act. I won't go into it, however. My set of ethics is much stronger concerning things such as relationships. I'm generally quite uptight about this : I will never, read NEVER, get into a relationship if I knew it couldn't be serious. I haven't had a girlfriend for years because the girls I've been meeting lately are generally interested in something I won't give them : making out on the first night you meet them, sleeping with them on the second, moving to another person on the third. I will not even think of a girl if I thought she couldn't respect that.

Ethics concerning animals, well, I can't say I'm too strongly opinionated. I'm generally all for animal testing, even if I know they sometimes experience pain. I try not to think about it much.

Other people sometimes ask me, "Why won't you do this ?", or "Why won't you try that ?". This is when I usually snap. I've been asked to smoke, get drunk to an unbelievable level, try weed or extasy, etc.. I've never smoked, never gotten drunk, never taken drugs. I'm not hoping to. I don't mind people who do. You can ask me, too. But don't ever ask me twice. I said no once, respect that. Don't try to push me around.

These are my ethics. My mental barriers are very strong and I won't break them, and I consider this very important for me.

I'm the same. When I tell people I don't drink they stare at me with this look of disbelief. I don't like the stuff. It's disgusting, why drink it? I have no reasons to get drunk. I also have no need for drugs and don't care to hang around those who do them.

I also don't understand selfish people. How can they possibly expect people to go out of their way for them (in fact, they demand it) when they're not willing to do anything or even give a shit about you? Then they get upset when you don't come to their beck and call and throw a whiney, childish fit. And they wonder why no one wants anything to do with them.

I couldn't have put it better :


That's exactly what people do. They will demand until you let in or tell them to piss off. The latter happens more often with me, but it seems people have heads like sieves when it comes to these things, and they'll just ask you again next time. I just... don't understand it. It makes no sense to me. Why ? Why ?