I think you may be conflating 2 common meanings of the word “deserve” which may be magnifying some of the conflict over your statement.
deserve [moral], ie that someone deserves it like someone might deserve prison for a terrible crime and deserve as in [events that happen to them as a result of their own actions] which need not have any moral elements.
Someone who goes walking into the Sahara without water, shelter or navigation equipment has done no moral wrong. They don’t deserve [moral] bad things to happen to them but bad things may happen to them as a result of their unwise choices and may be entirely their own doing. In that sense they get what they have earned or “deserve” [non-moral, as in “have a claim to” or outcome they have brought about]. It’s not something malicious that’s been forced upon them by others.
Someone who steps in a hidden bear trap has been unfairly maimed by a cruel uncaring universe and does not deserve [moral] or deserve[reaping earned results of their own actions] it.
Someone who, against the advice of others, ignoring all safety warnings, against even their own better judgement uses a clearly marked bear trap as a sex toy has done no moral wrong. They don’t deserve[moral] bad things to happen to them but bad things may happen to them as a result of their unwise choices.
I think you may be conflating 2 common meanings of the word “deserve” which may be magnifying some of the conflict over your statement.
deserve [moral], ie that someone deserves it like someone might deserve prison for a terrible crime and deserve as in [events that happen to them as a result of their own actions] which need not have any moral elements.
Someone who goes walking into the Sahara without water, shelter or navigation equipment has done no moral wrong. They don’t deserve [moral] bad things to happen to them but bad things may happen to them as a result of their unwise choices and may be entirely their own doing. In that sense they get what they have earned or “deserve” [non-moral, as in “have a claim to” or outcome they have brought about]. It’s not something malicious that’s been forced upon them by others.
Someone who steps in a hidden bear trap has been unfairly maimed by a cruel uncaring universe and does not deserve [moral] or deserve[reaping earned results of their own actions] it.
Someone who, against the advice of others, ignoring all safety warnings, against even their own better judgement uses a clearly marked bear trap as a sex toy has done no moral wrong. They don’t deserve[moral] bad things to happen to them but bad things may happen to them as a result of their unwise choices.