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
Top Authors
#8267
Topic ID

Activity Over Time

2007
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2008
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2009
18
2010
47
2011
36
2012
58
2013
174
2014
90
2015
130
2016
148
2017
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2018
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2019
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2020
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2021
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2022
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2023
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2024
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2025
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2026
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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.