Petty Morality as Influenced by Beauty - General

My question is more or less, do you have a shallow set of morals ingrained in you that you don't often question, with reference to a couple of specific examples. If I see a butterfly (of any size) flutter past me, I will admire it or think nothing of it. But if I see a big ugly brown moth coming along, I'll step away to avoid it, and bat it away if it comes near me. I would keep still if a butterfly landed on me. Butterflies and moths are essentially identical, which suggests there's an irrational mechanism in my head that makes me revulse from things that look (I suppose) dirty or hairy or ugly etc. Now if I apply this thinking to cockroaches, which I kill in any number of horrendous ways when I see them, I have to ask whether I deserve to be an intelligent being put in a position to play god with these little fuckers, when I might think about them in a completely different way if they had shiny blue carapaces or something. What say you?

If it encroaches then kill the cockroaches.

Kill the cockroaches. Done.

[QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27789761]My question is more or less, do you have a shallow set of morals ingrained in you that you don't often question, with reference to a couple of specific examples. If I see a butterfly (of any size) flutter past me, I will admire it or think nothing of it. But if I see a big ugly brown moth coming along, I'll step away to avoid it, and bat it away if it comes near me. I would keep still if a butterfly landed on me. Butterflies and moths are essentially identical, which suggests there's an irrational mechanism in my head that makes me revulse from things that look (I suppose) dirty or hairy or ugly etc. Now if I apply this thinking to cockroaches, which I kill in any number of horrendous ways when I see them, I have to ask whether I deserve to be an intelligent being put in a position to play god with these little fuckers, when I might think about them in a completely different way if they had shiny blue carapaces or something. What say you?[/QUOTE] It really comes down to this: what are the consequences of my actions?

[QUOTE=Ninja_Blue;27789853]It really comes down to this: what are the consequences of my actions?[/QUOTE] If consequences dictate your course of action, then for all intents and purposes you have no morals at all.

[QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27790080]If consequences dictate your course of action, then for all intents and purposes you have no morals at all.[/QUOTE] What? Consequences are everything, I don't burn down orphanages because the consequences would involve dead babies and a ruined building.

[QUOTE=BrainDeath;27790139]What? Consequences are everything, I don't burn down orphanages because the consequences would involve dead babies and a ruined building.[/QUOTE] Well if you're talking about the consequences for those on the [i]receiving[/i] end of your actions, then I could say that the consequences for the cockroaches are pretty dire.

But cockroaches aren't conscious/self aware/sapient/whatever in a human sense.

[QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27790154]Well if you're talking about the consequences for those on the [i]receiving[/i] end of your actions, then I could say that the consequences for the cockroaches are pretty dire.[/QUOTE] You can be merciful, just behead it and it will live for another 9 days without annoying you.

I hope the cockroaches get their vengeance one day.

[QUOTE=BrainDeath;27790167]But cockroaches aren't conscious/self aware/sapient/whatever in a human sense.[/QUOTE] So let's say there's a higher race of beings out there somewhere, which at some point find Earth. By your logic, if they're advanced enough, then they would be liable to wipe out humanity with impunity. Cockroaches certainly have survival instinct, and they feel pain too.

It's a goddamn cockroach if you get a bad feeling for killing them just don't. Do you even know why you kill cockroaches?

trees have feelings too :frown:

Survival of the fittest.

i actually apoligize to every insect I kill.

[QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27790266]So let's say there's a higher race of beings out there somewhere, which at some point find Earth. By your logic, if they're advanced enough, then they would be liable to wipe out humanity with impunity. Cockroaches certainly have survival instinct, and they feel pain too.[/QUOTE] By that logic plants feel pain too. A reaction is not the same as comprehension. Also by your logic it is wrong to eat plants as well. There has to be a point where you say "This living creature is worth less than me, a human being," [editline]1st February 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=G-Strogg;27790305]i actually apoligize to every insect I kill.[/QUOTE] I don't kill unless it's necessary. I don't believe I should end life unless I need to.

I hate cockroaches. Moths are really cool but I still can't help but step to the side when I see one coming my way. And for me it boils down to "Will this affect me in a negative manner?"

No mercy for mosquitos! Every fuckin' insect that bothers me will be slapped to death

[QUOTE=sharzu;27790385]No mercy for mosquitos! [/QUOTE] [img]http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/61262/5491951/0/1206540509/ELECTRONIC_MOSQUITO_SWATTER_BUG_ZAPPER.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=fritzel;27790728][img_thumb]http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/61262/5491951/0/1206540509/ELECTRONIC_MOSQUITO_SWATTER_BUG_ZAPPER.jpg[/img_thumb][/QUOTE] Also known as the best weapon in the world.

[QUOTE=sharzu;27790385]No mercy for mosquitos! Every fuckin' insect that bothers me will be slapped to death[/QUOTE] Oh mosquitoes are different. I wish I could inflict more pain on each mosquito I kill. >.> Also is that a special mosquito tennis racket?? If so I would really like to own one

Shiny blue beetles are known as dung beetles so no you'd kill them anyway. [editline]1st February 2011[/editline] [QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27791100]Oh mosquitoes are different. I wish I could inflict more pain on each mosquito I kill. >.> Also is that a special mosquito tennis racket?? If so I would really like to own one[/QUOTE] My bud has a couple they're sweet. I would hold it to something metal and hold down the button and it would weld it's self to it. What you do is hold down the button to make a charge then whack you're friend in the arm with it and watch their arm go flying. Or actually use it run through a cloud of bugs holding down the button and make a pile of dead bugs. Either way fun times are to be had.

[QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27791100] Also is that a special mosquito tennis racket?? If so I would really like to own one[/QUOTE] Then you will be committing the horrible crime of death by electrocution.

[QUOTE=fritzel;27791234]Then you will be committing the horrible crime of death by electrocution.[/QUOTE] Best kind of crime imho.

[QUOTE=moesislack;27791199] My bud has a couple they're sweet. I would hold it to something metal and hold down the button and it would weld it's self to it. What you do is hold down the button to make a charge then whack you're friend in the arm with it and [b]watch their arm go flying.[/b] Or actually use it run through a cloud of bugs holding down the button and make a pile of dead bugs. Either way fun times are to be had.[/QUOTE] Watch their arm go flying..? You mean off? o_O

[QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27791290]Watch their arm go flying..? You mean off? o_O[/QUOTE] Strategic dismemberment.

[QUOTE=MakoSkyDub;27791290]Watch their arm go flying..? You mean off? o_O[/QUOTE] If you apply a sudden low voltage to any muscle it will tighten. The voltage is enough to fry flies but might tickle a human.

Mosquito's are evil. I got no problem with cockroaches or moths.

What I mean is that their arm might fly up and hit themselves in the face in extreme situations (holding down the button for like ten minutes).

They will pull away their arm because being electrocuted is unpleasant. It's not a forced muscle contraction. Those things don't have capacitors that'd take 10 minutes to charge.