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Discuss morality and ethics in this message board.
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By Pondering
#454780
What is good about pride, other than making us feel confident, or overly so, in ourselves? Is it an innate instinct? Self-satisfaction?

Today many events small or big (like war) happen do to differing views based upon personal pride in their own ideologies. I feel like pride also leads to greed and while it is good to value oneself, doesn't it lead to bias, stereotyping, and arguments?

Ethic and morality wise, why do countries feel the need stick their nose into other countries business? Is it that intervention and war leads to a form of pride? Or do we have so much pride in ourselves as a country that we are allowed to do these things?
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By Sy Borg
#454791
Pride may lead to poor ethical choices, but so do sloth, envy, greed, anger, lust and gluttony.

Each of the capital vices has its uses. However, like a power drill, if they are used badly, they can cause considerable damage.

Let's look at the positives:

Pride, as you say brings confidence, and it can be a motivator..

Envy can provide inspiration, motivation and direction.

Sloth can provide much-needed rest and it can temper disruptive chaotic over-activity.

Greed can be a motivator to achieve.

Anger can drive us to action.

Lust keeps us from going extinct.

Gluttony is a natural response to the fact that, in the past, food was hard to come by so, when food was available, one would eat until one couldn't because they never knew when the next meal was coming.



On the negative side:

Pride leads us to refuse to see reason, mess things up that are beyond our capabilities, and also leads to selfish behaviour. (The refusal to see reason points to Pondering's comment about ideologies digging in out of pride, leading to war. When reason is abandoned, the alternative is violence).

Envy can lead to violence, theft and pointless misery.

Sloth can lead to waste of life's potentials.

Greed can lead to violence, theft and exploitation.

Anger can lead to violence, cruelty and self-destructive behaviour.

Lust can lead to violence, cruelty, self-destructive behaviour and misery.

Gluttony can lead to waste and poor health.
User avatar
By LuckyR
#454801
Sy Borg wrote: January 31st, 2024, 6:04 pm Pride may lead to poor ethical choices, but so do sloth, envy, greed, anger, lust and gluttony.

Each of the capital vices has its uses. However, like a power drill, if they are used badly, they can cause considerable damage.

Let's look at the positives:

Pride, as you say brings confidence, and it can be a motivator..

Envy can provide inspiration, motivation and direction.

Sloth can provide much-needed rest and it can temper disruptive chaotic over-activity.

Greed can be a motivator to achieve.

Anger can drive us to action.

Lust keeps us from going extinct.

Gluttony is a natural response to the fact that, in the past, food was hard to come by so, when food was available, one would eat until one couldn't because they never knew when the next meal was coming.



On the negative side:

Pride leads us to refuse to see reason, mess things up that are beyond our capabilities, and also leads to selfish behaviour. (The refusal to see reason points to Pondering's comment about ideologies digging in out of pride, leading to war. When reason is abandoned, the alternative is violence).

Envy can lead to violence, theft and pointless misery.

Sloth can lead to waste of life's potentials.

Greed can lead to violence, theft and exploitation.

Anger can lead to violence, cruelty and self-destructive behaviour.

Lust can lead to violence, cruelty, self-destructive behaviour and misery.

Gluttony can lead to waste and poor health.
An excellent example of the reality that various entities aren't generally positive or negative, it depends on context.

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