Re:Politically-correct witch-hunt is killing free speech
by parineum on Friday July 03, 2020 @05:03AM
(#23722340)
>Inaction can be as devastating as action.
It can be but rarely is.
In the case racism, it isn't. Sitting in my house doing nothing isn't as bad as attacking blacklivesmatter protesters.
The call against inaction is an exaggeration to shame people into action for their side. It's the "if you aren't with us, you're against us" repackaged for the woke.
Re:Politically-correct witch-hunt is killing free speech
by spangry on Friday July 03, 2020 @06:32AM
(#23722802)
To take it another step further, a bias towards action can be harmful as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primum_non_nocere . I have often wondered if Google/Alphabet erred in switching from "don't be evil" to "do the right thing".
Re:Politically-correct witch-hunt is killing free speech
by dcow on Saturday July 04, 2020 @06:25PM
(#23735345)
Indeed. Only a sith deals in absolutes.
Re:Politically-correct witch-hunt is killing free speech
by radford-neal on Friday July 03, 2020 @10:52AM
(#23724522)
However, ill-considered action can be very bad, regardless of intentions. And most calls to action by activists are ill-considered. See http://studiahumana.com/pliki/wydania/In%20Praise%20of%20Pas...
well, nobody is able to coerce you for not doing anything, but people can still judge you for it, and that may be perfectly reasonable.
Inaction can be as devastating as action. Withdrawing in the face of some injustice is as much of a choice as participating on either front.
It's an overused quote but really all that is necessary for evil to triumph is good people doing nothing. Of course today sometimes the causes are hyperbolic, but nothing is wrong with the principle. If someone is the victim of racism say, and people look away rather than stepping up, that's a failure.