A simple poll

[Sympthsical]

14. What people say vs what they would do

I think my default is deontology, but a complex world with imperfect context will often leave us at consequentialist crossroads.

I'm currently watching that story with the influencer couple who terminated a pregnancy after the fetus was found to have trisomy 21. Now, there are plenty of people who will say they would never, that it's wrong, what terrible people they are. But let's be honest. Given privacy laws, HIPAA, etc. If they know ironclad no one would find out, how many of those people who are publicly declaring the moral position would make a similar choice when facing those circumstances themselves?

So, I think this is one of those instances where people know they're being polled, they'll say they would do the moral thing, but when the chips are down, well, it's situational.

"It's different when I do it" is practically the unofficial slogan of America.

My answer is, I strive for the deontological, but there are moments in my life where I lose patience, am feeling spiteful, am put in a no-win situation, etc., and it's just "Fuck it. If this is what the universe is giving me to work with, so be it."