• Franconian_Nomad@feddit.org
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    1 day ago

    Hogfather by Terry Pratchett:

    right," said Susan. “I’m not stupid. You’re saying humans need… fantasies to make life bearable.”

    REALLY? AS IF IT WAS SOME KIND OF PINK PILL? NO. HUMANS NEED FANTASY TO BE HUMAN. TO BE THE PLACE WHERE THE FALLING ANGEL MEETS THE RISING APE.

    “Tooth fairies? Hogfathers? Little—”

    YES. AS PRACTICE. YOU HAVE TO START OUT LEARNING TO BELIEVE THE LITTLE LIES.

    “So we can believe the big ones?”

    YES. JUSTICE. MERCY. DUTY. THAT SORT OF THING.

    “They’re not the same at all!”

    YOU THINK SO? THEN TAKE THE UNIVERSE AND GRIND IT DOWN TO THE FINEST POWDER AND SIEVE IT THROUGH THE FINEST SIEVE AND THEN SHOW ME ONE ATOM OF JUSTICE, ONE MOLECULE OF MERCY. AND YET—Death waved a hand. AND YET YOU ACT AS IF THERE IS SOME IDEAL ORDER IN THE WORLD, AS IF THERE IS SOME…SOME RIGHTNESS IN THE UNIVERSE BY WHICH IT MAY BE JUDGED.

    “Yes, but people have got to believe that, or what’s the point—”

    MY POINT EXACTLY

    • SirSamuel@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      I’VE NEVER BEEN VERY SURE ABOUT WHAT IS RIGHT, said Bill Door. I AM NOT SURE THERE IS SUCH A THING AS RIGHT. OR WRONG. JUST PLACES TO STAND

      Reaper Man - Terry Pratchett

      I actually don’t agree with this sentiment, but this is now a Discworld thread, and I can’t stop it

      • Doc_Crankenstein@slrpnk.net
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        14 hours ago

        What is right for the spider is wrong for the fly.

        Right/Wrong is subjective and entirely depends on the surrounding circumstances of those involved and how the action in question affects their interests.

        • SirSamuel@lemmy.world
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          7 hours ago

          “It’s not as simple as that. It’s not a black and white issue. There are so many shades of gray.”

          “Nope.”

          “Pardon?”

          “There’s no grays, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.”

          Carpe Jugulum

      • Rikudou_Sage@lemmings.world
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        1 day ago

        Well, it means there’s no objective right or wrong without context. And we people are the context, so while there’s no right or wrong, no magical karma system that would judge your actions, there are things that are very obviously right or wrong from the point of view of other people.