Morality

[flexibeast]

NYU study shows diminished sense of moral outrage key to holding view that world is fair, just:

Psychologists have long studied system-justification theory, which posits that people adopt belief systems that justify existing political, economic, and social situations or inequities in order to make themselves feel better about the status quo. Moreover, in order to maintain their perceptions of the world as just, people resist changes that would increase the overall amount of fairness and equality in the system. Instead, they often engage in cognitive adjustments that preserve a distorted image of reality in which existing institutions are seen as more equitable and just than they are.

Which reminds of a couple of other quotes:

"The ends do not justify the means, for the true measures of our character are the means we are willing to use and not the ends we proclaim."

-- Unknown

"Most people prefer to believe their leaders are just and fair even in the face of evidence to the contrary, because once a citizen acknowledges that the government under which they live is lying and corrupt, the citizen has to choose what he or she will do about it. To take action in the face of a corrupt government entails risks of harm to life and loved ones. To choose to do nothing is to surrender one's self-image of standing for principles. Most people do not have the courage to face that choice.

Hence, most propaganda is not designed to fool the critical thinker but only to give moral cowards an excuse not to think at all."

-- Michael Rivero

Comments

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

No, so I can darn well vote.

And have it counted.

I know it's not a great democracy, but at least I can vote.

The others...well...most of them are grown-ups and I doubt many are anything but cynical.

At least we *can* vote and have it counted though.

[foibey.livejournal.com]

I'm not in Oz, but over here in Britain, generally the way it works is that you vote, it's counted, and one of several bastards gets in and fucks you anyway.

The whole "No matter who you vote for, some bastard always gets in" conundrum of parliamentary democracy. If they weren't bastards business would crack down hard on them and make them into bastards. It's tough to balance out.

[ruth-lawrence.livejournal.com]

Well, we have compulsory voting which puts a very different spin on things.

I can remember when the Council elections were not compulsory and it was very different.

We also have some public funding of election campaigns.

The thing people can do that really makes a difference is to join a political party and attend meetings, vote there.