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November 22, 2015
Ethics from the Barrel of a Gun
No one's finger is on the trigger but your own. All the talk-talk in your head, all the emotions in your heart, all the experiences of your past — these things may inform your choice, but they can't move your finger. All the socialization and rationalization and justification in the world, all the approval or disapproval of your neighbors — none of these things can pull the trigger either. They can change how you feel about the choice, but only you can actually make the choice. Only you. Only here. Only now. Fire, or not?A second is this: never count on being able to undo your choices.
If you shoot someone through the heart, dead is dead. You can't take it back. There are no do-overs. Real choice is like that; you make it, you live with it — or die with it.A third lesson is this: the universe doesn't care about motives.
If your gun has an accidental discharge while pointed an unsafe direction, the bullet will kill just as dead as if you had been aiming the shot. I didn't mean to may persuade others that you are less likely to repeat a behavior, but it won't bring a corpse back to life. - - Eric Raymond
Posted by gerardvanderleun at November 22, 2015 4:15 PM. This is an entry on the sideblog of American Digest: Check it out.
Your Say
A person with a gun in his hand is a moral actor.
Posted by: Casey Klahn ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://americandigest.org/sidelines/nav-commenters.gif)
at November 22, 2015 5:42 PM
So is a person without a gun in his hand.
It's not about the weapon and never was, it's about the person.
Posted by: ghostsniper at November 22, 2015 7:57 PM
Something these mushwit fools worrying about being offended and their safe space being invaded better learn. The Universe doesn't care about the individual. They cannot grasp just how insignificant they are, we all are. A bit of dust passing through a candle's flame.
Posted by: Vermont Woodchuck at November 23, 2015 3:44 AM
Exactly.
The great quote from Mad Men was Don Draper's line to the Beatniks at his girlfriend's place: "The universe is indifferent."
Posted by: Rob De Witt at November 23, 2015 6:52 AM
Raymond's 4th emphasis is, 'right choices are possible, and the ordinary judgement of ordinary (wo)men is sufficient to make them.'
So let us be ordinary at least, after evaluating our motives, means and rightfulness of thought.
And if we are mysterious dust motes of the universe, then as we pass through the candle's flame (h/t VW above) let us be some light to those in despair and darkness.
Posted by: Stug Guts at November 23, 2015 6:24 PM