What's Your Problem?
— By Kevin Drum

What's Your Problem? | Mother Jones

Tue May. 31, 2011

Gallup says today that doctor-assisted suicide is the "most controversial cultural issue" in its recent poll. Why? Because it's the issue where opinion is divided most closely. I'm not sure that's really much of a proxy for "most controversial," but I guess it's their poll, not mine.

What struck me about their list, though, was how few of these things I object to. Out of 17 issues, there were only four I objected to, and even there my objections depend on circumstances. There really wasn't a single one that I just flatly, always think is morally unacceptable. I'm not sure what this says about me.

Anyway, here's the list. See if you can guess the four I found kinda-sorta unacceptable. (Hint: I don't really have a problem with human cloning, though I suppose I might change my mind if a cloned race of superhumans takes over the world and enslaves the rest of us.)

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The author seems to think there are 4 things that are at least questionable. I couldn't find one. I mean, yes, some depends on circumstances but it just confirms that I see 'morality' as an inadequate way of evaluating actions...

What do you think?

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I got 5. Assisted suicide, abortion, fur, medical testing and the death penalty. I don't have any especially strong opinions on them, but I can understand how a reasonable person could go either way.

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But those are definitely grey i.e. I would be unable to classify them as 'immoral' and thus, by default, they're moral, within limits.

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But you're not the world arbiter of what's moral and what isn't.

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Of course not. But I thought that was interesting that I'd be so far-out even compared with Liberals... And I was wondering how other people were approaching the issues...

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I had three....abortion, stem cell research from embryos and human cloning.....those are the ones that have an impact on human life without concern for their will.........death penalty would be close, but I'm opposed to the death penalty and that seems to be the status quo for the most part......it effects what, three people a year?......not a major issue.....

beyond that, I'm not quite sure if you can translate "morally acceptable" to "controversial issue".....for example, I wouldn't choose to wear animal fur but I certainly wouldn't waste my time arguing with a person who did......likewise with having a child outside of marriage.....

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....attached to sanity by a bungee cord.....

Originally Posted by PostmodernProphet

beyond that, I'm not quite sure if you can translate "morally acceptable" to "controversial issue".....for example, I wouldn't choose to wear animal fur but I certainly wouldn't waste my time arguing with a person who did......likewise with having a child outside of marriage.....

Interesting point but, as you are probably well aware, they are quite a few people who are not quite so hands-off on these subjects.

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fur, fine wit me. The crazy anti-fur and whaling people are fun to watch at least.

assisted suicide, not fine.

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To be totally fair on me, I have as much if not more of a problem with eating meat as with wearing fur. And yes, I have leather shoes, a fur stole and eat meat sometimes.

Hypocrisy is the homage that vice pays to virtue.

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