Ends Justify Means

The cluster discusses how people and governments justify atrocities, tyranny, and oppression under the guise of the 'greater good' or punishing 'bad ones', often warning against unwavering beliefs and mental gymnastics that enable such actions.

➡️ Stable 0.7x Politics & Society
3,459
Comments
20
Years Active
5
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#8267
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
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2009
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2010
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2011
36
2012
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2013
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2014
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2015
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2020
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2021
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2022
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Keywords

denisdutton.com baumeister.htm US tyranny atrocities oppression victims evil oppressive brutal justify regime power

Sample Comments

y0eswddl Nov 15, 2025 View on HN

you can convince people to give up anything as long as it's in service of punishing "the bad ones"

bevekspldnw Apr 16, 2024 View on HN

Never underestimate the willingness of people to have others suffer for their ideals.

pas May 1, 2021 View on HN

They might be some kind of just-world fallacy power-hungry sadists?

hugh4 Oct 7, 2015 View on HN

A question for people who think their preferred ends justify deplorable means.

cwillu Sep 10, 2024 View on HN

Unwavering beliefs is how you get atrocities.

kristianov Nov 16, 2022 View on HN

It justifies doing bad things for "the greater good".

stephenr May 20, 2016 View on HN

Every tyrant claims to be doing things "for the greater good".

jrochkind1 Oct 1, 2021 View on HN

It's because the people in power care... about controlling and dehumanizing those they have power over.

bumby Apr 15, 2024 View on HN

A “The ends justify the means” mentality is a road to all kinds of human atrocities.

iancmceachern Mar 1, 2022 View on HN

Exactly, insert something about tyrany and good people doing nothing enabling it.