Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R.

Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by skybrian on Monday May 18, 2026 @12:02PM (#48181611)

Smokers don’t seem to be under any illusions about whether it’s bad for them? When people have conflicting desires, I think what even counts as “self-interest” gets complicated. Often people are acting at cross-purposes to some of their desires.

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by saltwatercowboy on Monday May 18, 2026 @12:29PM (#48181943)

I suppose the 'self-interest' of desiring a cigarette outweighs the 'self-interest' of preserving your health.

Reminds me of debating Bentham in high school. If the feeling of self-interest of a murderer acts upon is greater than the self-interest of someone not to be murdered, etc...

Maybe the point is not to reduce judgment to one qualitative idea.

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by PaulDavisThe1st on Monday May 18, 2026 @03:06PM (#48184096)

aka discounting time value, or something like that. "the feeling i will get now by smoking this cigarette, though fleeting, is worth to me now than the chance of years more living, or a healthier late life, if i do not smoke it".

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by CooCooCaCha on Monday May 18, 2026 @03:29PM (#48184351)

Yeah self-interest occurs across different time scales and consists of a mixture of logical and emotional factors.

It’s also subjective and dependent on the persons values, beliefs, etc.

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by michaelhoney on Tuesday May 19, 2026 @02:40AM (#48190018)

"I want another drink now. Hangover is tomorrow-me's problem"

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by lanstin on Monday May 18, 2026 @05:32PM (#48185983)

One certainly doesn't smoke imagining it's for the benefit of others - if anything it's the selfishness of now against the benefit of future me.

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by helterskelter on Monday May 18, 2026 @01:00PM (#48182265)

This thread is starting to remind me of Stalker.

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by flohofwoe on Monday May 18, 2026 @01:35PM (#48182720)

Also a little bit of Stanislaw Lem, I remember in one of his books he mentions a service that matches people who want to die with people who want to kill ;)

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Re:Actually, Democracy Dies in H.R. by CooCooCaCha on Monday May 18, 2026 @02:50PM (#48183846)

Self-interest includes chemical dependence and emotional satisfaction.

The broader point is that self-interest is not purely logical because humans are not purely logical beings.

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