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It seems that I am reading more and more opinions from liberals that if someone does not achieve success and is not a good citizen (as I think most people define those terms), that this is not the fault of the individual, but instead is due to extenuating circumstances beyond that person's control. However, if this viewpoint is actually true, couldn't this argument also be used to excuse, for example, the greedy or dishonest actions of a politician or lawyer who was born with less of a conscience than the majority of people?
To put this another way, how much do you agree or disagree with those who think that the personal choices someoneusually is the major factor in determining one's eventual lot in life?
Also, if we aresimply the products of our innate personalities and our early environment and experiences, do you think that it would be right for any adult to be punished for anything and that it would only be fair for everyone have the exact same income and lifestyle as everyone else?
behavior, in my opinion, could be forgiven but should not be excused.
forgiveness is up to the individual doing the forgiving.
poor behavior might have legal consequences,
but it could still be forgiven while jail time is served.
What have you been reading? Because frankly, what you are suggesting sounds more like a right wing interpretation of the liberal POV, rather than the liberal POV itself.
It seems that I am reading more and more opinions from liberals that if someone does not achieve success and is not a good citizen (as I think most people define those terms), that this is not the fault of the individual, but instead is due to extenuating circumstances beyond that person's control. However, if this viewpoint is actually true, couldn't this argument also be used to excuse, for example, the greedy or dishonest actions of a politician or lawyer who was born with less of a conscience than the majority of people?
To put this another way, how much do you agree or disagree with those who think that the personal choices someoneusually is the major factor in determining one's eventual lot in life?
Also, if we aresimply the products of our innate personalities and our early environment and experiences, do you think that it would be right for any adult to be punished for anything and that it would only be fair for everyone have the exact same income and lifestyle as everyone else?
To begin with, your premise is a bit nebulous.
Second, I don't think that liberals (why'd you have to bring that into it?) are making blanket statements about the concept. There are things that are solely the responsibility/fault of the individual. But there are other things that are simply unfair.
I don't see what your connection is with politicians and lawyers. Seems to me that you're sort of flailing around here.
And just in case you (or someone) brings up the life is not fair mantra, my response to that is that when life in unfair, it's up to MORAL people to make it more fair.
I wonder what Eleanor Roosevelt would say about your post.
It seems that I am reading more and more opinions from liberals that if someone does not achieve success and is not a good citizen (as I think most people define those terms), that this is not the fault of the individual, but instead is due to extenuating circumstances beyond that person's control. However, if this viewpoint is actually true, couldn't this argument also be used to excuse, for example, the greedy or dishonest actions of a politician or lawyer who was born with less of a conscience than the majority of people?
To put this another way, how much do you agree or disagree with those who think that the personal choices someoneusually is the major factor in determining one's eventual lot in life?
Also, if we aresimply the products of our innate personalities and our early environment and experiences, do you think that it would be right for any adult to be punished for anything and that it would only be fair for everyone have the exact same income and lifestyle as everyone else?
Failure to achieve success in life is complex.
Some fail because they don't make the effort. Some will fail no matter what we do.
Others fail because of things like sickness, disability, poor overall economic conditions, lack of family support etc.
What makes the problem of poverty so difficult is that there are so many reasons people are poor are fail in life.
Should we excuse bad behavior? No. But at the same time, we have a moral obligations as society to help those that can be helped.
Ah yes. Another thinly veiled the “universal evil liberal” rant finds it’s way into this forum. We’re not safe even in the Great Debates section of CD. And
It seems that I am reading more and more opinions from liberals that if someone does not achieve success and is not a good citizen (as I think most people define those terms), that this is not the fault of the individual, but instead is due to extenuating circumstances beyond that person's control. However, if this viewpoint is actually true, couldn't this argument also be used to excuse, for example, the greedy or dishonest actions of a politician or lawyer who was born with less of a conscience than the majority of people?
To put this another way, how much do you agree or disagree with those who think that the personal choices someoneusually is the major factor in determining one's eventual lot in life?
Also, if we aresimply the products of our innate personalities and our early environment and experiences, do you think that it would be right for any adult to be punished for anything and that it would only be fair for everyone have the exact same income and lifestyle as everyone else?
It isn't exactly rocket science, and I'm surprised that you haven't bothered to do the work required that would allow the conclusions of many university studies to sink in. Environment is a huge factor when considering the forces which shape the human psyche, further, I've never read any study that suggests that environment is akin to an excuse. Understanding and excusing shouldn't be considered the same thing.
Also, if we aresimply the products of our innate personalities and our early environment and experiences, do you think that it would be right for any adult to be punished for anything and that it would only be fair for everyone have the exact same income and lifestyle as everyone else?
This society is unfair to emotional people whose innate personality is to express emotions, both good and bad. As adults, we are supposed to suppress bad emotions, always calm and collected with a calm response to anything. This is seen as maturity. This is easy for naturally mellow people, i.e. people who don't express their emotions and who are straightfaced and deadpan. But those who are emotional people, i.e. those who have outbursts or lash out when angry, hold grudges, retaliate against others, are all behaviors as a result of bad emotions. They are ridiculed and scolded at simply because they express unpleasant emotions. Life is unfair for those people. They cannot help who they are.
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