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by Razengan 3555 days ago
> The public at large will never be swayed to use less convenient alternatives for ethical reasons.

There have been countless practices which were once the convenient norm but are now seen as archaic or barbaric, at least in some parts of the world;

Slavery, serfdom, monarchies, dowry, arranged marriage, virgin sacrifices, involuntary circumcision, blood feuds, war crimes, excessive pollution... I'm sure the transition period in each of those cases was anything but convenient, and in some places it's still nigh impossible to convince people to stop these practices.

I think it's not so much "swaying" the public at large but continuing to provide sufficient education to them, and the technology to ease the transition, then at some point the transition just happens on its own. Of course the inverse is also possible and people sometimes revert to old and worse practices.
2 comments
asveikau 3555 days ago
> Slavery, serfdom, monarchies, dowry, arranged marriage, virgin sacrifices, involuntary circumcision, blood feuds, war crimes, excessive pollution...

To be clear, we are comparing all this to using chrome and having browser homogeny?

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Razengan 3555 days ago
I found that amusing while writing it too :P but the comment I replied to brought up vegetarianism and seemed to be making a general point about ethics vs. convenience.
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asveikau 3555 days ago
I think it illustrates that people can disagree with what constitutes unethical actions - the higher the requirement that everybody agree on what is unethical, the more heinous the crime has to be. So most of us will agree on the items in your list, but eating meat or using Chrome will be harder to get consensus on.
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patates 3555 days ago
> involuntary circumcision

I'm a theological non-cognitivist, coming from a Muslim family. Putting involuntary at the front does not make circumcisions which had the consent of an underage kid OK. I'm very sensitive about this, and while I love my parents, I still feel violated because of their decision.

Just wanted to share. No offense or anything taken from your comment of course.

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