Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: Joe 6-pack

No, fraud is a specific crime with clear definitions.

Giving advice is not. Givng bad advice is not. A prank phone call is not.

You are offering examples of crimes and relating them to situations that are not crimes.

In the example of giving advice to a person, the resulting decision made is still the ultimate repsonsibility of the peron making it, and that person will bear the consequences or fruits if any, and not the advice giver.

In the example of the Nigerian scam, the scammer certainlly committed fraud and may or may not be arrested and charged for such, but the person who gave away their money in the hopes of gaining more money is responsibile for giving away their money, and they will bear the consequence of that decision.

Because another person successfully exploited the known human flaw of greed, that particular crime could not have proceeded further without another participant who decided that it would proceed further, and that participant is responsible for that decision at the point in time that it was made.


81 posted on 12/09/2012 4:53:18 PM PST by chris37 (Heartless.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 80 | View Replies ]


To: chris37
Again, we're skipping back and forth between "legal," and "moral."

I never said giving bad advice was a crime, but would you agree that if it was given deliberately with the intent of steering somebody the wrong way, that it's immoral?

Would you agree that when a person trying to make an informed, correct decision comes to you for advice, you have a moral obligation to give them the best you see fit? Would shirking a moral obligation be immoral?

You asserted that people are responsible for their decisions. In this I concur, but I also recognize that decisions are not made in vacuums. I'm in my mid 40's and to this day, I can say that many of my good decisions are made because of the values instilled in me by my parents. I would suspect that had they abdicated their parental duties in my upbringing, I would probably make many more poor decisions than I do. Of course, I am not just a product of my parents, but also my schools, my military experience, my personal relationships, books I've read, my civilian work experience and my own personal drives, impulses etc. All those play a role in the decisions I make. That's not to, in any way, dodge responsibility for my decisions and the consequences thereof; I own those.

While we all own our decisions, we should also be cognizant that we influence the decisions made by others, sometimes very directly (as in the case of solicited advice) and sometimes remotely. We can never know how, when or to what degree we might influence others there is something to the notion of, "leading an exemplary life," so that even when we unknowingly influence another's decision(s), it is for the best. In cases where we know we will have direct influence on others I don't see how one can not feel a moral obligation to make our influence as positive as possible.

82 posted on 12/09/2012 5:35:33 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson