excerpts from http://www.policeone.com/health-fitness/articles/7197214-Why-respecting-even-the-most-vile-criminals-is-important-to-our-survival/



There is a segment of our society whose behavior can be so objectionable that it is sometimes hard to view these people as humans. They can be dirty, smelly, sloppy, lazy, egotistical, indignant, argumentative, and disrespectful. They sometimes lie and often complain.

Their reprehensible behavior can be immoral and even illegal. But, somehow we love them unconditionally.

Yes, I am talking about teenagers



Relative and Absolute Values
In our Ethical Warrior work with military and law enforcement personnel we often clarify the nature of values. There are really just two kinds:

1.) Relative values: Those values that can be different for me than they are for you, based upon our culture, environment, upbringing, personal preference, etc.; and

2.) The Life Value: Not relative, but universal (don’t overthink this – we all share this value; if we didn’t, we wouldn’t be alive).

The reason we can abhor the words and actions of some teenagers, yet still love them, flows from our ability to separate in our minds the relative value of their behaviors (which can be good, bad, or indifferent) and the absolute value of their lives and our love for them (which is not relative).

When my teenage son acts objectionably or even criminally, I know I don’t have to respect his behavior, but I still love him (respect his life). That is the way we roll. And that goes for teenage girls, too, who can also be a pain.

You may be saying, “It’s not a good comparison, I can easily value my loved ones, and valuing strangers isn’t my problem.”


Wait, What? Loving a Criminal?
Fair enough. Dealing with criminals is not the same as dealing with teenagers (although sometimes we are dealing with the same thing). It may seem ridiculous to say that we “love” a criminal, even if we detest his or her behavior.

Yet, this little piece of philosophical clarification might be just what we need to act ethically and professionally under stress. We deal with the behavior, but we don’t dehumanize the person.

Sometimes it is very difficult to witness the illegal and immoral actions of a criminal and separate in our minds the absolute value of life from the relative value of his or her behavior, but it is the right thing to do.

Law enforcement officers (ethical warriors) have an obligation to stop strangers from behaving illegally, and may use force to do so if necessary. How much easier might it be to lose track of our ethics, and perhaps use force inappropriately, if we don’t value the lives of everyone? What is the greater “crime?” Stealing a car? Or robbing someone of their humanity because you disagree with their behavior?

One is illegal, but the other is unethical.


When we denigrate the value of one life, we denigrate the value of all life — including our own. The Life Value applies to all humans, even those we don’t like.

Yes, even criminals.

"There is a segment of our society whose behavior can be so objectionable that it is sometimes hard to view these people as humans. They can be dirty, smelly, sloppy, lazy, egotistical, indignant, argumentative, and disrespectful."

.....and deadly.

yes, teenagers can be


especially when they have access to guns,,,


but that's a smaller population and not really the point of the information regarding the dehumanization of others,,,

i like u

Whoa Hoss! That is mighty Xian of you! Just saying...

PS- I think Rajajoel likes you....so, there's that...

lol @ Hoss

did I uses some Bonanza or Gone with the Wind type vernacular and not realize it?...lol


Xians aren't the only ones who disagree with dehumanizing others,,,


I think most people with a 'decent' moral fiber probably would disagree with the trend,,,,

The author is a fool, and his/her community should give them more push-back to develop their thoughts a little better.

It's obviously false on its face that its not necessary for all people to have this value, as conceived by this fool, as a prerequisite for our own existence.

Its great that fools have blogs and try to advocate for things, but they shouldn't attempt syllogisms during their advocacy.

what do you equate with our interest in preserving our own lives?

how often and common is it for people to step in front of trains, or jump in fires,,?

would that possibly be because we place value on our own LIFE, on our own LIVING?



now, obviously, 'all' and 'every ' is usually an exaggeration

there are suicidal people who obviously lost their life value,,,,

Yes, most people have an intrinsic tendency to preserve their own lives, but this guy is trying to use this as an argument for Universal Values, or worse, universal ethics.

As you point out, its not universal.

I respect this guy's apparent goals, but trying to give it an academic spin while pushing for deeper meaning results in making false arguments. I just think he should focus on making good honest arguments or appeals, rather than over reaching.

Or maybe I'm just hateful towards bad attempts at syllogisms.