Do the means justify the ends?

Question

In America we start wars in order to claim oil deposits in oil rich nations around the globe. Oil necessary to sustain our way of life. Everyone drives in America and all vehicles require oil to run. Even electric ones run off of electricity generated by coal power. On top of which we are the Earths LARGEST Contributor to global climate thanks to all the hydrocarbons spewed into the air both directly by us as well as indirectly.

Guys, just because you love your big houses in the cul de sac. Houses that required around 100 trees to be chopped and enough fuel for your lifestyle to power a small town in the Netherlands. Does it make it OK? Just because you like your goods and services does it justify the expense to the Earths well being?

Don't you guys realize what your doing here? Don't you know that all the pruducts you buy required tons of oil and pollution? Can any of you at all grasp the amount of damage that Wal Mart is causing for the whole world?Dothemeansjustifytheends

Yes it's actually "DO THE ENDS JUSTIFY THE MEANS". I had it the other way around.

Answer 1

You are showing a paranoid responds to problems.
"In America we start wars in order to claim oil deposits " if anything we lost money rebuilding these countries we have entered wars with and we do not "claim" their oils.

So do you live in a tree, wrapped in animal skins??
What is your issue with Walmart?? they are no better or worse than anyother big box store.

And to answer your question No the "NEEDS" do not justify the ends. Not means. Hey a car is a car, it moves your fat *** from point a to point b. A 12K car getting 35 mpg does it just as well as a 45K car that gets 15mpg.

However people have to live somewhere, so unless you are going to start the lead and not have any kids, lay off the general house problem. If we all lived in apts. social stress would only be higher. I also agree that some houses are oversized for the need, but it is their money and the space used on the house lot would be smaller but all the trees would still come down. Building code crap.

Answer 2

I believe this is all just temporary anyway. Though I won't be around in a few hundred years when drastic and earth-saving measures take place (when the problem is way, way out of hand), I can already see the roots of a push to fix all the problems already. This massive natural resource consumption is a phase. Nuclear power has disadvantages in terms of where to store nuclear waste but does put less stress on policies regarding the need for massive quantities of oil and produces no major emissions other than some water vapor perhaps.

Hydroelectric power is good where there is an abundance or rapidly flowing water and a need for a generator in that specific location, wind power is good except in cannot keep up with the demand for more power especially when to put it franky, it is not all that windy at a given moment. Solar is making progress and the problem arising with night receive suggestions of solar batteries storing what was harnessed during the daytime.

Answer 3

I disagree with you. not everyone in this country lives in a cul de sac. not everyone even owns a car. millions of people commute to work via public transportation. some of us don't even have a home. Not everyone in america is the stereotypical american. And I'm not even sure where these stereotypes came from. we're not all money hungry, obese, hummer driving, 9-5, divorced, non-recycling, polluting, apes you know. a lot of us care a great deal about the environment, and a lot of us don't like the fact that our troops are in iraq. in fact, a lot of americans are down right against it. beleive me, a lot of people here are aware of the fact that those in "power" here are just looking out for themselves. trying to make money. yes, our president has family ties with the petrolium industry. we can't even trust our anchormen on the 6:00news. everything the media tells you is just what they want you to hear.
And I'd like to make a bet, that I can find people in whatever country you're from (netherlands? i wanted to go there anyway) and i'll find some dutch people that are exactly like those americans you're complaining about in your question. And by the way, it's "Do the ends justify the means"

Answer 4

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While there are no 100% solutions, there are some things to do that will make big differences.
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Don't buy into the propaganda (yes, the oil industry is responsible for spreading this) that electric cars pollute.
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It's true that we get 50% of our electricity from coal (and 3% from oil.) But this doesn't matter, for four reasons:

-Coal plants are base-load plants, they run all the time. Peak-load plants are typically the cleaner plants. So adding load to the grid doesn't increase pollution very much.

-Much electricity goes to waste at night, because many plants can't be shut off when demand eases. Millions of electric cars can charge at night just on this wasted electricity without increasing pollution at all.

-When new plants are built, they will be cleaner plants than what we have now. Even new coal plant designs are 85% efficient, much more efficient than your sub-25% efficient gas-powered car. Greater efficiency means more miles on less fuel, and therefore less pollution.

-Finally, even if all the above weren't true, electric cars would still make much less pollution because electric drive is much more efficient than gasoline power. Electric motors are better than 90% efficient, and delivering energy to electric cars by wire (95% efficient) beats the wasted energy of trucking gasoline to thousands of gas stations.

The efficiency difference is easily proved by looking at fuel prices. Driving on gas costs 10 to 15 cents per mile. Electric cars get around for only about 1 cent per mile. Efficiency is the reason. You can also drive both your operating cost and pollution to ZERO by putting solar panels on your garage roof.
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Interested in an EV? Old-tech (limited range) electric cars can be had for as little as $5000 (yes, they do freeway speeds.) Details here:
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http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-electric-car/
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And here's a new-technology electric car ($45,000.) The Phoenix does up to 250 miles per charge, carries 5 passengers plus cargo at 95mph, and can charge batteries in as little as 10 minutes. The batteries are good for at least 200,000 miles:
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http://phoenixmotorcars.com/models/fleet.html
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Answer 5

What exactally is the question you want answered? Is it OK that we like our houses and creature comforts? And which means and/or ends, specifically are you speaking about? Total environmental destruction resultion in the extinction of the human race due to our spoiled comfortable lifestyle?

I guess I am just lost on what specifically you want anwered, but I think my answer is yes.

Answer 6

of course the ends don't justify the means. immoral actions are immoral actions. countries that forget ethics die out. good bye soddom. good bye gammorah. forget to house and feed your poor and grab a fiddle and do a little dance while the whole thing goes down. its 2007 -- do you know how much money the federal reserve is printing?

Answer 7

So build your own house out of air and ride your magic carpet to work instead of an automobile. And don't buy your stuff from Walmart, shop at a non-capitolistic store instead. And when you do that, tell us all how you did it.

Answer 8

Your just not worth my time to explain just how much bull your full of.

Answer 9

Preaching to the choir here, but you go!