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by diffeomorphism 1775 days ago
> Non-fair trade is considered unethical based on ethics.

No, it is not. If it were, fair trade wouldn't be niche. It adds lots of other obligations on companies "based on their particular agenda". I think it is worthwhile goal and something I like to support, but won't pretend that it is somehow pure, self-evident goodness, just like non-fair trade is not pure evil.

Again, you might disagree or have different ideas what "free" is supposed to mean but you should be better than throwing around phrases like "agenda" or "nothing to do with ethics or morality".
1 comments
trasz 1775 days ago
People and societies have no problem with ignoring ethics when it benefits them. Otherwise we wouldn’t be waging wars and sucking profits off poorer societies.

Fair trade is based on pretty fundamental ethics, such as fighting slavery. Can you point any such concept being foundational to Free Software?

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diffeomorphism 1775 days ago
> Fair trade is based on pretty fundamental ethics, such as fighting slavery.

Not really, no. Again, lots of non-"fair trade" products exist and those are not against fighting slavery.

> Can you point any such concept being foundational to Free Software?

Seriously? Their whole stick is fighting software practices they consider unethical. You might disagree whether that is fundamental ethics, but to them it is and it is rude and dishonest to pretend that is not the case.

For example, I am not vegetarian, but understand that there are people who feel strongly about that. That is fine and if you go "vegetarians are pushing their agenda which has nothing to do with ethics" that says more about you than about them.

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trasz 1775 days ago
To some people the Earth is flat. Is it rude and dishonest to call bullshit on them?
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diffeomorphism 1775 days ago
To call vegetarians flat earthers? Yes, that is rude and dishonest.
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trasz 1775 days ago
Vegetarians do have a valid point: eating meat involves animal suffering. That’s ethics, not an entirely arbitrary, unfounded belief. Again, how does Free Software relate to ethics?
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diffeomorphism 1775 days ago
> not an entirely arbitrary, unfounded belief.

Don't be an asshole.

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