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Does the End Justify the Means?
Walk with me.
For those who don't really understand:
"The end" means the result or the goal
"The means" means the method used to achieve that goal
So when people say "the end justifies the means" they mean that once the goal is achieved, the method used should not be questioned
Simply put; wrong or unfair methods may be accepted if the final goal is good (google)
Now the question is
Should the end justify the means or not?
Morally , the end should never justify the means
But there are exceptional cases...let's go deeper
Sometimes, the solution we apply becomes worse than the problem itself
Let me start by how people misuse this idea
Let's look at how people use this mindset to justify bad behavior most times
1. Religious Extremism
Some religious extremists commit violence believing.......
They are defending their faith.....they believe defending the faith which can be achieved even with violence
2. Scamming to Escape Poverty
Someone defrauds innocent people and says
"I'm trying to make money and take care of my families . Once I make it, I will help people"
They believe Putting others onto depression to meet up their luxurious lives can be go unquestioned as long as the goal is good
3. Corrupt Politicians
We all know as e dey sup for that side
4. Police Brutality
It happens on every here and thetr where police use excessive force on people and later justify it by saying
"We are fighting crime"
Now, what about xxceptional cases? Where the means can actually justify the end
There are situations where people argue that harsh actions are necessary because all other options have failed
1. Countries use misinformation during war to prevent greater casualties and panic by people...they hide the truth and feed them what they wish to hear
2. Negotiating with Criminals.....
Government may negotiate with criminals to free hostages or gather information
3. Torture criminals in a "ticking bomb" scenario
To get information faster from criminals at a point requires excessive force.....the method is justified
4. Strict parenting
Strict parents/eachers may punish very harshly to correct behavior and prevent worse outcomes later.
Discipline now to avoid future damage.....the method is justified
So if you say the end justifies the means ....you may be right
If you say the end does not justify the means.....you may be right.
The real danger is this;
The idea that "the end justifies the means" encourages abuse of power
This idea has been used to defend oppression, corruption, exploitation and many more
When people believe their goal is noble enough, they can justify almost anything....and we frequently see it in our society
That mindset is very very dangerous
In short, It all depends on circumstances and know where/when to apply the phrase
The end should not justify the means in everyday life.
It should only be considered in rare situations when all other options have failed.
To fight terrorism,the most extreme measures are needed....and these measures are mostly not legal
But to fight poverty, there are many legal and honest options apart from scamming
To defend your religion, there are many peaceful ways aside violence
Noble intentions do not automatically clean bad actions.
The idea that the end justifies the means must never become a habit.
It should only be considered in extraordinary situations when no ethical alternatives remain
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