I think you’re assuming a sharp line between sincere ethics motivations and self-interest. In my view, that doesn’t usually exist. People are prone to believe things that suit their self-interest. That motivated reasoning is the biggest problem with public discourse. People aren’t lying, they’re just confused. I think Musk definitely and even probably Altman believe they’re doing the best thing for humanity—they’re just confused and not taking the effort to get un-confused.
I’m really sorry all of that happened to you. Capitalism is a harsh system, and humans are harsh beings when we’re competing. And confused beings, even when we’re trying not to be harsh. I didn’t have time to go through your whole story, but I fully believe you were wronged.
I think most villains are the heroes of their own stories. Some of us are more genuinely altruistic than others—but we’re all confused in our own favor to one degree or another.
So reducing confusion while playing to everyone’s desire to be a hero is one route to survival.
I would perhaps go even farther, most, maybe all, people don’t have any ‘sincere ethics’ whatsoever with a sharp boundary line, it’s nearly always quite muddled.
At least judging by actions.
Which upon reflection makes it sorta amazing any complex polity functions at all.
And in any case it’s probably safer to assume in business dealings that the counterparty is closer to the 50th percentile than to the 99.99th percentile.
I think you’re assuming a sharp line between sincere ethics motivations and self-interest. In my view, that doesn’t usually exist. People are prone to believe things that suit their self-interest. That motivated reasoning is the biggest problem with public discourse. People aren’t lying, they’re just confused. I think Musk definitely and even probably Altman believe they’re doing the best thing for humanity—they’re just confused and not taking the effort to get un-confused.
I’m really sorry all of that happened to you. Capitalism is a harsh system, and humans are harsh beings when we’re competing. And confused beings, even when we’re trying not to be harsh. I didn’t have time to go through your whole story, but I fully believe you were wronged.
I think most villains are the heroes of their own stories. Some of us are more genuinely altruistic than others—but we’re all confused in our own favor to one degree or another.
So reducing confusion while playing to everyone’s desire to be a hero is one route to survival.
I would perhaps go even farther, most, maybe all, people don’t have any ‘sincere ethics’ whatsoever with a sharp boundary line, it’s nearly always quite muddled.
At least judging by actions.
Which upon reflection makes it sorta amazing any complex polity functions at all.
And in any case it’s probably safer to assume in business dealings that the counterparty is closer to the 50th percentile than to the 99.99th percentile.