Comments on: Buying Good Food Makes You a Bad Person http://mentalpolyphonics.com/posts/buying-localorganic-makes-you-a-bad-person Committees exist to share blame. Mon, 14 May 2012 18:24:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jack http://mentalpolyphonics.com/posts/buying-localorganic-makes-you-a-bad-person/comment-page-1#comment-72428 Jack Thu, 17 Dec 2009 04:01:51 +0000 http://mentalpolyphonics.com/?p=9404#comment-72428 <object width="340" height="285"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/BJL4NKXSq4I&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&hd=1&border=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/v/BJL4NKXSq4I&hl=en_US&fs=1&color1=0x5d1719&color2=0xcd311b&hd=1&border=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="340" height="285"></embed></object> The crowd cheers the liberator and the dictator just the same.

The crowd cheers the liberator and the dictator just the same.

]]> By: Fred http://mentalpolyphonics.com/posts/buying-localorganic-makes-you-a-bad-person/comment-page-1#comment-72427 Fred Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:06:25 +0000 http://mentalpolyphonics.com/?p=9404#comment-72427 @Tara, you make a good point with you comment about how good actions affect other peoples actions in a positive manor. I bet the study doesn't talk about this, monkey see monkey do effect. @Jared, I agree with your analysis. Most people off set the good with a little bad. @Tara, you make a good point with you comment about how good actions affect other peoples actions in a positive manor. I bet the study doesn’t talk about this, monkey see monkey do effect.

@Jared, I agree with your analysis. Most people off set the good with a little bad.

]]> By: Jared http://mentalpolyphonics.com/posts/buying-localorganic-makes-you-a-bad-person/comment-page-1#comment-72425 Jared Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:04:16 +0000 http://mentalpolyphonics.com/?p=9404#comment-72425 My argument over these last few posts is not necessarily that you shouldn't buy local/organic food - Jack has been chiming in with selfish reasons why doing so is a good idea - it's that you shouldn't be buying them to make the world a better place. This post is about the danger <em>even if they do make the world slightly better</em>. My argument over these last few posts is not necessarily that you shouldn’t buy local/organic food – Jack has been chiming in with selfish reasons why doing so is a good idea – it’s that you shouldn’t be buying them to make the world a better place. This post is about the danger even if they do make the world slightly better.

]]> By: tara http://mentalpolyphonics.com/posts/buying-localorganic-makes-you-a-bad-person/comment-page-1#comment-72424 tara Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:56:55 +0000 http://mentalpolyphonics.com/?p=9404#comment-72424 I think you're misreading your sources here. The Slate writer herself says, "It would be foolish to draw conclusions about the real world from just one paper and from such an artificial scenario." She effectively introduces this idea of moral accounting/licensing, but doesn't come close to suggesting, as you do, that we should stop doing environmentally-friendly things like using reusable grocery bags and buying organic, local, or biodegradable products. Some people may feel like doing those things give them license to act like assholes; some people compound on what they see as good moral behaviour with more of it. Your source says that we should simply be aware of this possible psychological function and that is often enough to mitigate it. She doesn't say we should just act like assholes all the time cause that's where we're going to end up anyway. "What's the lesson here? Let's stop congratulating each other—and ourselves—for using nontoxic cleaning products and compost bins. After all, it's really the least we can do." I think you’re misreading your sources here. The Slate writer herself says, “It would be foolish to draw conclusions about the real world from just one paper and from such an artificial scenario.” She effectively introduces this idea of moral accounting/licensing, but doesn’t come close to suggesting, as you do, that we should stop doing environmentally-friendly things like using reusable grocery bags and buying organic, local, or biodegradable products. Some people may feel like doing those things give them license to act like assholes; some people compound on what they see as good moral behaviour with more of it. Your source says that we should simply be aware of this possible psychological function and that is often enough to mitigate it. She doesn’t say we should just act like assholes all the time cause that’s where we’re going to end up anyway. “What’s the lesson here? Let’s stop congratulating each other—and ourselves—for using nontoxic cleaning products and compost bins. After all, it’s really the least we can do.”

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