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A comment on China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of genocide, report says. Parent comment

Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by TriNetra on Sunday July 05, 2020 @12:58PM (#23740098)
Just for a moment reflect on this fact: for almost all human beings on this planet, the goal of life continues to revolve around gaining wealth, recognition and power. By the time one realizes the worthlessness of these goals, it's time for him to leave. But as long as these remain the primary goals of our lives, we can't truly be compassionate toward the needs/plight of others and at every opportune moment, we'll try to take advantage of others if it helps us in achieving our primary objectives. The greater the benefit, the more the ruthless/selfish one can become when it comes to fulfilling one's desires. No matter of education/technology advancement can help unless what is important for our lives as a society is rebooted fundamentally.
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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by maybemaybenots on Sunday July 05, 2020 @01:06PM (#23740155)
"for almost all human beings on this planet, the goal of life continues to revolve around gaining wealth, recognition and power."

This is a really broad and very specific statement. Genuinely curious what you base this on.

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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by TriNetra on Sunday July 05, 2020 @02:22PM (#23740731)
Basing it on observation of primary motivators behind the actions of people wherever I see. money, status and power - these are the things our society has been obsessed with for long. Only few people are able to break out of these shackles but they may end up living fugitive life (though a contented one) - society won't celebrate them - won't consider them a truly worthy example to base one's life upon.
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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by ta17711771 on Sunday July 05, 2020 @01:18PM (#23740246)
The actions of literally almost every group of elites and high-level government officials in the last 100 years?

Are you not exposed to this behavior/news somehow?

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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by SpicyLemonZest on Sunday July 05, 2020 @01:24PM (#23740293)
The original comment said this was true of "almost all human beings", the vast majority of whom are neither elites nor high-level government officials.
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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by ta17711771 on Sunday July 05, 2020 @02:45PM (#23740900)
Right, but....if we "all" didn't value these things, how did these people gain their power and status over us?
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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by ebalit on Sunday July 05, 2020 @03:29PM (#23741194)
By seeking it in the first place. Another word for power is responsibilities. And many people don't want those.

I think it is a bit different with status without power. It seems to me that this type is a more "popular" goal now.

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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by bathtub365 on Sunday July 05, 2020 @04:26PM (#23741638)
Likely because those specific people value it, rather than everyone on earth.
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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by johnchristopher on Sunday July 05, 2020 @01:12PM (#23740200)
> "for almost all human beings on this planet, the goal of life continues to revolve around gaining wealth, recognition and power."

The opposite could be true as well: the goal of a minority is to gain wealth, recognition and power and in doing so they hurt everyone else around them.

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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by foobiekr on Sunday July 05, 2020 @01:55PM (#23740508)
Maybe it's living in the Valley for 20Y, and DC for 20+ before that, but I think the original statement is correct. If anything, the well-educated people in the valley are even more obsessed with recognition of status than the people i knew in DC (who were in _politics_).
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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by johnchristopher on Sunday July 05, 2020 @02:49PM (#23740926)
Aren't both groups still a minority (in the US for instance) though ?
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Re:China suppression of Uighurs meets U.N. definition of gen... by chr1 on Sunday July 05, 2020 @03:00PM (#23741000)
> worthlessness of these goals, it's time for him to leave

That's why supporting SENS foundation, and any other research aiming to prolong human lifespan is the most important investment now.

But i can't agree that the desire to gain wealth, recognition and power is a bad thing by itself, it only becomes a problem if someone doesn't understand that free and independent people living their and lives discovering new science will eventually give orders of magnitude more wealth and power to everyone than a conquerer ever can take by force.

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