What would you do if nobody would ever see or find out? Would you behave the same as you do now or would you do something truly bad?
[poll id=”98″]
Discuss.
Secret Sins (Weekend Poll)
What would you do if nobody would ever see or find out? Would you behave the same as you do now or would you do something truly bad?
[poll id=”98″]
Discuss.
Wheat & Tares 
Hmmm…so you want us to tell everyone what we would do that would be so bad that, if we did it, we wouldn’t tell anyone…? Is that one of those “logic loops”…like at the end of “I, Robot”?
Where is the “none of the above” box? Or the “behave as you normally do” box. What is the purpose?
Um, the choice “have sex with someone” is kind of rape-y, especially as “no one knowing” includes the person you’d be having sex with. If that’s the point, just say rape, if not, say what you mean.
And this really needs a “none of the above” for those who don’t believe the philosophical idea that everyone would be evil in some way (or every way) if they could not be caught or detected.
All of the above, of course, as long as God doesn’t know either.
But, regarding no. 2, having sex with someone out of my league, I once heard this thought experiment:
As a man, which would you prefer:
1. To have sex one time with, let’s say Marilyn Monroe, or another screen godess of your choice, but you will never be able to tell anyone about it, no one will ever know, and Marilyn herself will never know it happened.
2. To be photographed walking down the street with Marilyn Monroe or similar, sharing a laugh together, and the whole world will see it on the front pages of the tabloids. But no sex.
I would probably guess that almost 100% of men would ultimately prefer no. 2. No. 1 is great, but sex is of the moment, and after it is gone, it is meaningless. But the extacy and memory of fame and envy endures a lifetime.
Just an observation but most of those are kind of crappy and involve violating other people (or their privacy) and then there’s “get drunk or take drugs.” It doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the list.
Since God and you yourself would still know, these seem like pointless questions. Because really that’s all who matters for individual decisions anyway, not what the crowd or public see.
Okay am I the only Mormon in the world who thinks that social drinking looks fun? Lots of fun flavored alcoholic drinks? When I was working full-time in Virginia I’d often go with my co-workers to happy hour – it was a running joke that I really wanted someone to spike my drink so I could partake of the alcohol (just to know what it was like) without being accountable. Plus I think I would be a really fun drunk (ie tipsy not wasted). Also, my cousin tells me a glass of wine helps get her in the mood — why would we not want that on a Friday night with our spouses?
Maybe it is just me. Definitely mark me down for alcohol.
p.s. I don’t view alcohol as inherently evil. Just a current restriction to those who have made a covenant not to partake. It plays a factor in many awful situations, but I see no harm when used responsibly. FYI
Plato used this thought experiment, based on the legend of the Ring of Gyges (also inspiration for the Lord of the Rings):
“The Ring of Gyges is a mythical magical artifact mentioned by the philosopher Plato in book 2 of his Republic (2.359a–2.360d).[1] It granted its owner the power to become invisible at will. Through the story of the ring, Republic considers whether an intelligent person would be moral if he did not have to fear being caught and punished.
In Republic, the tale of the ring of Gyges is described by the character of Glaucon who is the brother of Plato. Glaucon asks whether any man can be so virtuous that he could resist the temptation of being able to perform any act without being known or discovered. Glaucon suggests that morality is only a social construction, the source of which is the desire to maintain one’s reputation for virtue and justice. Hence, if that sanction were removed, one’s moral character would evaporate.”
You’re forgetting that I would know I did these things.
I have plenty of opportunity to do bad or immoral things, but I choose not to, because I have a conscience. Put me down for none of the above.
Not on the list, but I would happily steal money from drug dealers.
Or to steal from a dragon. . .
I answer “yes” to a few more for the sake of whimsy…I really don’t know that I’d do any of them, b/c there is always SOMEONE “watching”…so I don’t really count it as “integrity” on my part if I’m “obdient” anyway. If nothing else, there’s always “Maude” (the late Bea Arthur), warning me, “Gawd will get you for that…”
The poll should clarify if the “no one” includes God.
In Brazil, the concept of being good for Lent has morphed into “God knows it’s hard to be good, so he turns his back on the world during the three days prior so we can get our sins out” Carneval. Sort of like the “big drink of water before crossing the desert” philosophy. When I visited in the late-1990s, I was informed that even the local youth left Rio and Sao Paulo for a combined YM/YW camp in the jungle, as it was preferable to the environment of the city in those three days.
Our conscience is a wonderful gift, and so is the knowledge that God is watching over us. It keeps me out of trouble.
I would get tipsy. Not drunk – definitely not drunk – because I hate being completely out of control. But comfortably numb. I’ve faced some really hard things in the past decade and I’d like to be able to feel free of all my cares for a little while…
Of course, I’m probably glorifying the experience. My luck, I’d be the gal who just emotional releases and has a crying jag. Drunk and weepy. That’d be a lose-lose. LOL.
(PS Poll didn’t work – “failed to verify referrer”)
#15 -You’d have loved Carrie Fisher’s monologue act, “Wishing Drinking”.
“(PS Poll didn’t work – “failed to verify referrer”)”
Me, too. And I was just wanting to look at the results.