Tuesday 31 January 2012

Conflict ethics vs. ethical ethics

Hey folks, I have some new definitions for you. Fresh from the definitions fairy!


  • Conflict ethics: ethics you mysteriously acquire when there is money at stake, your political career at stake, or your not-so-hidden backers are prodding you to action. Conflict ethics are wielded against legitimate stakeholders and well-intentioned people standing between you and power and profit, or sometimes even simply between you and your ability to grind others down whether or not you materially gain from it. We find conflict ethics in conflict ethics mines, also known as Conservative Party conventions, Hy's Steakhouse by the Chateau Laurier, and so on.

  • Ethical ethics: what normal people mean by "ethics". A genuine intention to treat others fairly, to avoid destroying the planet, to deal honestly with others without an ulterior motive, and intention to swindle or grift, and so on. Ethical ethics can be found pretty much anywhere, there is rarely if ever any need to purchase or consume conflict ethics.



Some things to watch out for when shopping around for an ethic. Does the purveyor deploy glurge drills? Does he accuse others of accepting money from "foreign radicals" when he himself is displaying utter naked hypocrisy? Does he wear hideous orange wigs on his "TV" "channel"? Is he following proper procedure in reporting the source of his ethics?

Remember folks, conflict ethics are called that for a reason.

2 comments:

k'in said...

Yeah, I also had the unfortunate experience of inadvertently hearing the same someone (thanks for not mentioning them by name!) pimping their new book today.

Niles said...

Are you sure it's ethics he/they have or Morals!11!!!TM?

I've been longtime confused by the emphasis on morals being a Good Thing TM and that they were equal in meaning to ethics.

I thought morals are culturally subjective, allowing for excuses to do harm in the name of the cultural normative mores, whereas ethics were the more objective "Is that fair/harmful?" scrutiny; and not *relative* scrutiny. IE: our oil is better than theirs because we generously allow women to drive and go outside alone, so we can't regulate our national production to mitigate impact on environment otherwise commie greenie wimminhatrz win!!!11!!

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