There have always been people who use "the ends justify the means" to commit great harms. The people who have become notorious lately all share a common trait that takes it further: they believe their positive impact has become *so* critical that they can justify acting in narrow self interest. 1/2 - ThreadSky

moskov.goodventures.org • 22 days ago

There have always been people who use "the ends justify the means" to commit great harms. The people who have become notorious lately all share a common trait that takes it further: they believe their positive impact has become *so* critical that they can justify acting in narrow self interest. 1/2

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moskov.goodventures.org•22 days ago

This often means attacking the systems and institutions that have rebuked you, or that threaten your wealth or freedom (DOJ, NHTSA, etc). In SBFs case, it meant stealing, to try to make up for past losses on his purported way to achieving much larger impact. 2/2

ljp713.bsky.social•22 days ago

Very true-

artisanloaf.bsky.social•22 days ago

Musk has been truly brilliant at this, framing every single thing he does in life, as part of his great efforts to save humanity from itself. He's the most self-less person in the world, because his motivations are altruistic, and anyone getting in his way is an enemy of humanity.

judithrobinson.bsky.social•21 days ago

Well said

slobak.bsky.social•22 days ago

My theory is you can tell if someone is genuine about altruistic intentions if you see it reflected at multiple levels of their behavior, not just lofty vision. Do they tip generously, are they kind to people they don’t need something from, etc. If not.. maybe they are about ego, not people.

optimalcynic.bsky.social•21 days ago

Unfortunately there have also been people who use "the means justify the ends" to do the same.

statarius.bsky.social•21 days ago

Everyone (with some exceptions) draws the line somewhere.

eleonor.is-hella.tech•21 days ago

that egotistic delusion that they’re so “impactful” or above ethics that if justifies their moral flexibility, myopia & selfishness in an act of “changing the world”

cult-leader messiah complex fueled by the sycophants who enable em

wary of entitled folks who are kind only in a benefit to them…

eleonor.is-hella.tech•21 days ago

it* justifies…

whether it be hyper success / reward through luck, merit or strategic enablement it can’t mask greed cosplaying as benevolence 😔

corbieailin.bsky.social•21 days ago

Combine that with a socialized idea that wealth reflects virtue and you get a toxic feedback loop where anyone with a little bit of money or social validation has an imperative to do whatever they want.

eleonor.is-hella.tech•21 days ago

definitely, i’ll also add the view of the resourceful, generous, “successful” person

ppl feel liberty to receiving or dictating how you give / share your generosity, help, access, resources & effort… establishes you as a figure or “means” not a person but proxy for what they feel entitled to

eleonor.is-hella.tech•21 days ago

moral distortion isn’t always from up-top it includes who wants to be, it deters the ones with good intentions

greed, internal or from others can really influence the motivation of those in position of scalable “impact”

corbieailin.bsky.social•21 days ago

Oh yes, "human resources" as it were. No longer just a viewpoint from on high, but how we're taught to view each other. The tragedy of being a good "resource" as folks try to maximize extraction while minimizing investment.

minneapolisryan.bsky.social•22 days ago

Yet they are never affected by it

patricklovesdogs.bsky.social•21 days ago

Hey come on Dustin, what about all the Musk children's hospitals and the Bezos libraries to say nothing of the Buffet low income housing complexes.

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