common decency

[Joy]

Describe what you believe showing "common decency" entails. State your type/quadra if you feel so inclined.

[machintruc]

I think it entails :

- being loyal, sincere and kind with others, even if you don't like them.
- not really licking their boots by having overadaptive behaviour or communication, but being natural. Nobody should be different than himself.
- doing the right thing, and being fair at all times.

[Joy]

What do you mean by "kind"?

[aestrivex]

what do you mean by common decency?

[krieger]

In general: choosing inaction or neutrality when other behavior might be harmful.

[Joy]

what do you mean by common decency?

The way people should generally treat other people, I suppose (I don't think I've ever used this phrase before, but I'm guess that's what's meant when people say it). Perhaps Gilligan, Bionicgoat, that new SEI, or blaze can explain it if I'm wrong.

[Mediator Kam]

what do you mean by common decency?

The way people should generally treat other people, I suppose (I don't think I've ever used this phrase before, but I'm guess that's what's meant when people say it). Perhaps Gilligan, Bionicgoat, that new SEI, or blaze can explain it if I'm wrong.

ya, that new SEI.

I agree that part of common decency is treating other people as you would want to be treated(I guess how you would want to be treated differs).

But also, thinking about your conscience(if you have one) and what it says to you. If you see an African child whose arm is no bigger than a pencil, common decency would be to feel a need to do something about the state of affairs. If you see a man, woman, or family who is down on their luck, common decency is to
help them out in some way.

If you see a moocher, drugger, or alcoholic who is down on their luck, tell them to wake up and get their life on.

[aestrivex]

what do you mean by common decency?

The way people should generally treat other people

i reject this as being a valid concept at all.

[Mediator Kam]

what do you mean by common decency?

The way people should generally treat other people

i reject this as being a valid concept at all.

Then what is valid? Selfish individualism?

[machintruc]

where's the test ?

[reyn_til_runa]

what do you mean by common decency?

The way people should generally treat other people, I suppose (I don't think I've ever used this phrase before, but I'm guess that's what's meant when people say it). Perhaps Gilligan, Bionicgoat, that new SEI, or blaze can explain it if I'm wrong.

ya, that new SEI.

I agree that part of common decency is treating other people as you would want to be treated(I guess how you would want to be treated differs).

But also, thinking about your conscience(if you have one) and what it says to you. If you see an African child whose arm is no bigger than a pencil, common decency would be to feel a need to do something about the state of affairs. If you see a man, woman, or family who is down on their luck, common decency is to
help them out in some way.

If you see a moocher, drugger, or alcoholic who is down on their luck, tell them to wake up and get their life on.

surprised you see common decency as related to helping people. i see those examples as more "uncommon." i think common decency is more like standing in line in grocery store without causing a scene when the lady in front of you takes 10 minutes to write the check. it doesn't require much compassion, just an awareness of what might happen if you cause a scene.

[aestrivex]

what do you mean by common decency?

The way people should generally treat other people

i reject this as being a valid concept at all.

Then what is valid? Selfish individualism?

i don't understand why you have to arbitrarily impose any given moral structure as inherently optimal at all. whatever a group of people decide to do as far as a moral structure is concerned is not the business of those outside of it.

but yes, to answer your rather mundane question, selfish individualism is valid.

[force my hand]

Cars on the road. Each is a separate entity, but it's common decency to recognize there's more than just one car.

[Not A Communist Shill]

I'm a part of The Moral Minority.

When people say 'common decency', they mean they expect people to act how they themselves act, the same way as their parents did before them, and their parents before them...although when I use the term, it is usually accompanied with a snort of laughter and contempt.

I suppose people should try to be good because they see a point in doing so (even if that is so they don't end up in prison) - when people use the term 'common decency' and mean it, it seems they would prefer people act even against their own judgement - I think 'decency' is more loose than that.

[Mediator Kam]

what do you mean by common decency?

The way people should generally treat other people

i reject this as being a valid concept at all.

Then what is valid? Selfish individualism?

i don't understand why you have to arbitrarily impose any given moral structure as inherently optimal at all. whatever a group of people decide to do as far as a moral structure is concerned is not the business of those outside of it.

but yes, to answer your rather mundane question, selfish individualism is valid.

We need to add a emocon that shakes his head no. Selfish individualism got us a great president in the U.S.A and moral and social deterioration in the west.
Where did the saying "The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer" come from? It comes from people only worrying about their own lot, even when they have the power to change society for the better.

There is no good example when selfish individualism has ever helped a community/society in any real way. The only time when society ever got something accomplished was when its people made sacrifices or thought of someone other than themselves.

Therefore, selfish individualism is never valid.

[aestrivex]

you fail. take an economics course.

[Mediator Kam]

you fail. take an economics course.

What would be the point if it is a capitalist economics course?

I've seen what capitalism does to the world, so the idea of such a course to enlighten me is null.

[force my hand]

you fail. take an economics course.

Interestingly, economics can express very well why common decency is so important.

[xyz]

yes. i love economics. Throw it in the market and see how it does.

[Not A Communist Shill]

You can't really put a price on human life. Especially with the oil markets being so unstable, and the current weakness of the dollar.

[aestrivex]

you fail. take an economics course.

What would be the point if it is a capitalist economics course?

I've seen what capitalism does to the world, so the idea of such a course to enlighten me is null.

you fail in your analysis absolutely and utterly. you clearly do not understand economics at all. capitalism is not an ideal system, but you would have to be either clueless or phaedrus-esque not to recognize that, at the very least, certain free markets have a great deal of benefit associated with them.


furthermore this argument, on a fundamental level, is not directly connected to the present political situation. there are a number of reasons for this; part of it has to do with the inherent flaws of the free market, but what we have right now isn't a free market for a number of reasons, the foremost being the incredible corruption of the current administration. right now the US government is probably bigger, as a result of, of course, military spending, than it ever has been. when you get people like the guys in power now that are basically giving money free money at every end to all of the largest businesses in the nation, it's much more of a signficant blow to social injustice than nearly all of the basic functioning of the free market.


keep in mind that all of this is coming from a guy who leans to the left (by american standards, ftr).

[Creepy-bg]

common decency is not taking a shit in the backseat of your friends car

[redbaron]

I think common decency is the way we expect to be treated, the lowest of the acceptable. So common decency would be not screaming and yelling in public when I don't get my way. Waiting my turn in line. Stopping at the stop light. Etc.

[Mediator Kam]

you fail. take an economics course.

What would be the point if it is a capitalist economics course?

I've seen what capitalism does to the world, so the idea of such a course to enlighten me is null.

you fail in your analysis absolutely and utterly. you clearly do not understand economics at all. capitalism is not an ideal system, but you would have to be either clueless or phaedrus-esque not to recognize that, at the very least, certain free markets have a great deal of benefit associated with them.


furthermore this argument, on a fundamental level, is not directly connected to the present political situation. there are a number of reasons for this; part of it has to do with the inherent flaws of the free market, but what we have right now isn't a free market for a number of reasons, the foremost being the incredible corruption of the current administration. right now the US government is probably bigger, as a result of, of course, military spending, than it ever has been. when you get people like the guys in power now that are basically giving money free money at every end to all of the largest businesses in the nation, it's much more of a signficant blow to social injustice than nearly all of the basic functioning of the free market.


keep in mind that all of this is coming from a guy who leans to the left (by american standards, ftr).

^This piece^: +1 for niff

ahh, I was misunderstood. I was relating the current administration as the most powerful/volatile of any American administration, therefore a figurehead for the global free market. And yes, I agree that free markets have their benefits and they are not all bad. Unfortunately, there are examples of third world countries that have been screwed over by free market-ism. We could go on and on of the World Bank etc. Anyway, the shape of the dollar because of all the spending the administration is doing is sad, and that is probably not the true free market.

[munenori2]

Cars on the road. Each is a separate entity, but it's common decency to recognize there's more than just one car.

Shaquille O'Neal, aka Big Aristotle, on his basketball success: "That's math, that's physics."

[tereg]

For me, it's the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Edit: Delta NF quadra p.o.v.

[PotatoSpirit]

The golden rule doesn't work imo, we are not all the same: what bothers me might not bother someone else and vice-versa.

I think common decency is not doing things that give you an advantage smaller than the disadvantage they cause to others. Personally I try to do better, but that's what I consider acceptable.

[Exodus]

I think common decency is not doing things that give you an advantage smaller than the disadvantage they cause to others.

This is a good point, some people just don't get this.

It is also a reason why closing the toilet seat is not a part of common decency.

[Creepy-Diana]

.

[tereg]

The golden rule doesn't work imo, we are not all the same: what bothers me might not bother someone else and vice-versa.

I think common decency is not doing things that give you an advantage smaller than the disadvantage they cause to others. Personally I try to do better, but that's what I consider acceptable.

I respect this point of view.

I should note however, for me, in light of the Golden Rule, I personally try to do better when I sense that I'm bothering another person if I originally thought that what I was doing would not bother others.

In other words, I think inherent in the Golden Rule is the awareness of self to adjust to the needs of others out of respect should they be bothered.

Because if I do something and it bothers you and I sense botheredness, and I do nothing about it, then I'm not really following the Golden Rule, am I?

[Gilly]

To me, common decency is finding and acting upon a conscientious middle ground between the courses of action necessary to fulfill one's own desires and needs, and those of the rest of the world.

[PotatoSpirit]

Because if I do something and it bothers you and I sense botheredness, and I do nothing about it, then I'm not really following the Golden Rule, am I?

Very right (c:

[Joy]

I would say common decency is to respect people's property, privacy, feelings, freedom of choice, and desires (inasmuch as they don't interfere with the rights of others). I see these things are rights, especially respecting people's property (don't fuck with people's stuff) and freedom of choice (don't try to control others). Being open and honest with those you care about is also common decency. Changing the rules (such as exclusivity) of a relationship without telling your partner about it is definitely a violation of common decency. Anyways, another aspect of common decency in business is making sure that everyone is walking away from a deal a winner.

Respecting people's feelings and rights means don't do something that causes more harm than good to others, especially if it's only for your own amusement. I don't care if it's "not a big deal". On the show The Office I am often frustrated by how Pam and Jim totally disregard the rights of others. Deceiving people, messing with people's stuff, and making fun fun of people merely for the sake of your own amusement or because you think they're weird is unacceptable. If your job is so boring that you need to do that to make the day go by, fucking quit and do something you enjoy. If the people you work with are that rude and invasive, deal with the problem directly and try to communicate with them and fix it. If it can't be fixed, set boundaries and stick to them. Or again, just fucking quit. God. So yeah, not an episode goes by where they don't violate what I consider to be "common decency", though obviously the consequences aren't as serious as with many other violations of common decency.

[Blaze]

common decency: respect for self and others.

advanced decency: respect for self and others, respect for relationship between self and others and between others, and pursuit of personal interests while maintaining the former.

[Creepy-bg]

I think mine is the only one that everyone can agree with

[cracka]

I could probably write for hours on what I think common decency is to me but I'm pretty sure my idea of it is on a higher level than most. Many things that I see as common decency many people wouldn't, even things as trivial as holding a door open, or holding an elevator when you notice someone running towards it, or even waiving another person out in front of you when traffic is backed up, not staring at someone who looks funny, picking a fight with someone for no apparent reason, staying to the right if you are driving slower than everyone else, not taking a shit in the back seat of your friends car, calling someone before showing up at their house, saying excuse me when almost walking/bumping into someone, chewing with your mouth closed, talking very loud on a cell phone around a lot of other people, saying thank you when someone does something for you, etc... Like I said, I could go on for hours on this. To most these may easily not be common decency type of things but to myself they very much are.

[Megan]

common decency: respect for self and others.

advanced decency: respect for self and others.

I could probably write for hours on what I think common decency is to me but I'm pretty sure my idea of it is on a higher level than most. Many things that I see as common decency many people wouldn't, even things as trivial as holding a door open, or holding an elevator when you notice someone running towards it, or even waiving another person out in front of you when traffic is backed up, not staring at someone who looks funny, picking a fight with someone for no apparent reason, staying to the right if you are driving slower than everyone else, not taking a shit in the back seat of your friends car, calling someone before showing up at their house, saying excuse me when almost walking/bumping into someone, chewing with your mouth closed, talking very loud on a cell phone around a lot of other people, saying thank you when someone does something for you, etc... Like I said, I could go on for hours on this. To most these may easily not be common decency type of things but to myself they very much are.

I think it entails :

- being loyal, sincere and kind with others, even if you don't like them.
- not really licking their boots by having overadaptive behaviour or communication, but being natural. Nobody should be different than himself.
- doing the right thing, and being fair at all times.

These three are rather similar to my understanding of "common decency". I think being loyal, sincere and kind to others even if I do not like them is especially important in my personal understanding of "common decency".

[Joy]

I could probably write for hours on what I think common decency is to me but I'm pretty sure my idea of it is on a higher level than most. Many things that I see as common decency many people wouldn't, even things as trivial as holding a door open, or holding an elevator when you notice someone running towards it, or even waiving another person out in front of you when traffic is backed up, not staring at someone who looks funny, picking a fight with someone for no apparent reason, staying to the right if you are driving slower than everyone else, not taking a shit in the back seat of your friends car, calling someone before showing up at their house, saying excuse me when almost walking/bumping into someone, chewing with your mouth closed, talking very loud on a cell phone around a lot of other people, saying thank you when someone does something for you, etc... Like I said, I could go on for hours on this. To most these may easily not be common decency type of things but to myself they very much are.

A lot of this pretty much be summed up as showing consideration to others.

[cracka]

I could probably write for hours on what I think common decency is to me but I'm pretty sure my idea of it is on a higher level than most. Many things that I see as common decency many people wouldn't, even things as trivial as holding a door open, or holding an elevator when you notice someone running towards it, or even waiving another person out in front of you when traffic is backed up, not staring at someone who looks funny, picking a fight with someone for no apparent reason, staying to the right if you are driving slower than everyone else, not taking a shit in the back seat of your friends car, calling someone before showing up at their house, saying excuse me when almost walking/bumping into someone, chewing with your mouth closed, talking very loud on a cell phone around a lot of other people, saying thank you when someone does something for you, etc... Like I said, I could go on for hours on this. To most these may easily not be common decency type of things but to myself they very much are.

A lot of this pretty much be summed up as showing consideration to others.

Then in my pov: showing consideration to others = common decency. :wink:

[MysticSonic]

Does anyone else remember when Niffweed was a communist?

Anyway, common decency is, in my conception, when a person tends to others needs to the degree that it does not unfairly compromise their own.