What would you do with absolute power?

[Arcturus Descending]

Jakeyjake

The use of atomic bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima were never moral or ethical from where I stand, but I bet you that most of the people who developed those weapons and green-lit their use on Japan were convinced either by themselves or by others that what they were doing was ethical.

I wonder how human beings can convince themselves that killing innocents is ethical?
I even wonder how they could be convinced (and perhaps many were not) that doing the above was "necessary". Blindly following orders? Chauvinism? Fear of court martial? Living up the oath they made?

Once instructed to perform or aid in deeds that they once would have denounced, people often will rationalize their behavior, often citing circumstances that they believe are exceptional to their specific situation.

This is true but I daresay only for so long before the nightmares cropped up and their own shadows began to reveal their selves to them.

Are you just considering the big actions when you say that? Can there be little incidents where you might be just a bit less than ethical?

Such as..? Does calling in sick to work in order to go to the beach count as an unethical incident? Is that the magnitude you're looking at? If so: guilty.

Have you ever felt guilty about that at all? Well actually, if you took and used a sick day that you had coming to you, perhaps not too much so, but if, in so doing, you left your boss kind of in a bind, might that pinch your conscience?

:lol: You are being facetious here, right? Big guy, little guys, where is the dominance? But then again, if there were more than enough of them, you would probably go down!

What do you mean where is the dominance? Dominance is controlling or influencing things.

I see your point but where is the "true" strength in dominating the weak and vulnerable?

Bigger things can more easily dominate littler things

.
You mean like a big, burly football player who faints at the sight of a needle?

However, I could think of ways to prevent that-- such as purposely demolishing the structures they’d normally consider sacrosanct – buildings that wouldn’t normally be military targets.

Did you mean to say that wouldn'tnormally be military targets?

If I wanted to prevent any sort of uprising, I’d stamp my feet down on their schools, hospitals, nursing homes. Imagine how powerful a deterrent it could be, if it was made clear that any dissent would result in a giant white sneaker coming down to flatten a school building or the nursing home granny is playing bingo in.

So could you be one of those who refused to drop your bomb on those two cities, except for their military structures? Could you ever wonder about that?

[Meno_]

I hate to say this but I'm sure the garrisons not in action 1were sparsely distributed among mainline populations, and the same thing in Vietnam, there men were extremely adept at hiding assets, with kamikazi soldiers being camouflaged.


Another thing, thousands of US soldiers would have been killed in their place, every one of them someone's son, brother or sweetheart.

War is war, and sentiments aside, as soon as you see the white of their eyes.


Oops, that was Klausewitz.....

[Jakeyjake]

I wonder how human beings can convince themselves that killing innocents is ethical?
I even wonder how they could be convinced (and perhaps many were not) that doing the above was "necessary". Blindly following orders? Chauvinism? Fear of court martial? Living up the oath they made?

Unfortunately, too many. Just look at the military.

Have you ever felt guilty about that at all? Well actually, if you took and used a sick day that you had coming to you, perhaps not too much so, but if, in so doing, you left your boss kind of in a bind, might that pinch your conscience?

Felt guilty about calling in sick when I wasn't? No. And virtually everybody has done it. Even HR employees do it. Having employees who take "sickies" is a cost of doing business, and there is no reason to feel guilty. Many businesses are run and managed by cretins who wouldn't hesitate cut to someone loose regardless of personal circumstance if they felt they were making their department or themselves look bad in the eyes of others. To hell with that. "The boss in a bind" should have had more coverage. They accepted a position where they have increased accountability for the running of their department and the staff who work in it, and they are compensated for being on call. If they don't want a job and the accompanying increased pay that requires they be accountable for staffing and covering for the shortages that may arise, legit it or not, they can resign.

I see your point but where is the "true" strength in dominating the weak and vulnerable?

Does it matter?

Did you mean to say that wouldn'tnormally be military targets?

I did say that.

Jakeyjake

If I wanted to prevent any sort of uprising, I’d stamp my feet down on their schools, hospitals, nursing homes. Imagine how powerful a deterrent it could be, if it was made clear that any dissent would result in a giant white sneaker coming down to flatten a school building or the nursing home granny is playing bingo in.

So could you be one of those who refused to drop your bomb on those two cities, except for their military structures? Could you ever wonder about that?

I would never agree to take ANY role in a mission to utilize those weapons anywhere. Also, what do you mean drop a bomb on the cities except military structures? How does that work? Also how does that relate to the specific quotation you replied to?

[obsrvr524]

What would I do with absolute power? Easy. I'd give it away.

And split it up.

[MagsJ]

Help as asked, if not asked, do my own thing and visit when invited.

Did you misread the thread title Wendy?