Quote:
Originally Posted by Deuces McKracken
Is this really a question?
By definition it's not ethical. We could debate whether we should be ethical, but propping up a dictator for our own advantage is clearly not ethical. OP is tantamount to asking "is it OK to severely hurt other people to help myself a little?".
The answer is no, it is not ethical. Evil actions are not ethical. The fact that someone would even ask that is disturbing. But I suppose that in the information age it's tough to keep secrets or keep things on the down low. Instead of keeping things clandestine and under reported the right will have to start challenging basic notions of right and wrong. Kind of scary.
Hairy topic, but this ignores that there are massive groups of people who are completely ignorant to the damage that humans can do to the resources we all require. Should we also not teach elementary school?
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Sklansky
US pundits are now frequently saying that we were too hasty in supporting the Arab Spring. That is what my OP was about, if it wasn't obvious. I would assume that their justificdation for this stance is either that we should think of ourselves first or maybe that other countries voters don't know what is best for them.
Allowing certain groups to do what they feel is best for them gives those of us with a pretty decent idea about ways-of-life something to contrast against.
Freedom = Choice = Evidence.
If we value the assets of a particular area, (say, the arable land of the middle-east) it is in our best interest to convince the people of that area to value their assets for the same reasons. If they don't and they harm the prospect of the survival of the entire species, then yes, limited intervention may be justified. Instructing people to protect their interests and understand the value of resources is not the same as lording over them the way that some itt seem to be suggesting, for good or ill. I believe our current brand of influence is call "soft power".
That said, it's pretty lol that any representative organization can really control the self-interested human. People gonna people imo.