• Cethin@lemmy.zip
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    7 hours ago

    Here’s the problem with public figures in particular: they have an extrinsic motivation to make others believe they’ve changed. You can’t actually know if they’re doing it for the money or because they actually believe it.

    The same issue goes for doing good too. Do people donate to charity because they want to or because they want people to see them? Is it still good if it’s the latter? Is there a difference functionally?

    • Jean-luc Peak-hard@piefed.social
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      4 hours ago

      100% agree, but this logic applies to everyone, not just public figures.

      they [public figures] have an extrinsic motivation to make others believe they’ve changed.

      Replace public figures with people and its just as accurate. Nobody wants to be the bad guy, even demon-spawn incarnate, Stephen Miller tries to put everything in a positive light “detaining violent illegals” vs “breaking innocent families apart and sending them to concentration camps”.

      Judge people based on their actions, not their words.