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Originally Posted by krynski
What does that even mean? Define "social progress"; it's loose terminology.
It's not neighbours spying on neighbours. It's neighbours advocating for what they believe is right. That is the democratic process. Sometimes, that's what is needed. If someone didn't voice their opinion about slavery, we would not have had slavery abolished.
Society reacts from events (for example, Rosa Parks) and proceeds in some fashion. There is nothing wrong with pointing out what you or I think is wrong- hell, I bet a lot of people thought Rosa Parks was wrong, and some believed she was right. Society changes based on a variety of factors, including differing social opinions.
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You're comparing public shaming for a dog pooping in a cemetery to slavery and civil disobedience for racial equality? If it didn't already, this thread officially jumped the shark.
Social progress isn't a difficult concept. To put it another way, the question people should be asking is, when people use internet vigilantism to punish people for minor offenses, does it promote overall justice? There is no neutrality or objectivity, which are two characteristics required for justice. The burden of proof should be on the people advocating it as moral. I have not heard one argument that it benefits anyone. It just makes a few internet busybodies feel better and as if they are making a difference.
Here's an example that is directly comparable. When I walk outside I see people throw cigarette butts on the ground all the time. It's disgusting and it's a violation probably on par with what this girl did. Yet I am willing to bet that we all know people that do it and we let them get away with it because we know them and know that despite that activity, they are otherwise good people. Heck, you can drive by the Legion and see some of Canada's best doing it.
Would it be an acceptable measure of justice to take photos of these people and post them in public areas so everyone knows that they did something disrespectful? What if it was someone you knew, like your grandfather or mother? Posting people's images or identities for things that cause emotional responses makes those people susceptible to threats that go beyond what should be a reasonable punishment for the offense.