Suppose X discovers that the way to human happiness is to be quite in all ways. No talking, no writing, no facial expressions, etc. At this point, what can X do? X cannot spread this idea and have it remain pure. If X spreads the idea, X is a hypocrite. If X does not spread the idea, the idea will die out.
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Fame is but a slow decay.
-Theodore Tilton
I am pretty sure most utilitarians would endorse spreading this idea, since the toll to happiness of this particular communication would be more than compensated for by widespread acceptance of the idea.
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Real programmers can write Perl in any language.
This is contained in the idea of the Bodhisattva--one who, in Buddhism, comes to the universal knowledge of Nirvana but possesses such love for the world and those remaining within the karmic wheel of death and rebirth, that s/he forsakes heaven for a time in order to teach. It is, like all theological concepts, contentious and full of debate that I have far too amateurish an understanding to relate properly.
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Willis, it seems like every other time you post, I need to look up a word that's in the OED or Urban Dictionary but not both.
-Mimir
Took me like 40 seconds to realize that you meant "quiet" and not "quite" >_>
I'm a little slow today...
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Well, there is a new accent of n00b language. It's called: Vet LUEser goes Foreign!-MegaSpy22
Those must be the pants of the gods!-Digitalpython
Theoretically X will be happier if he doesn't spread the idea, so I'm hard pressed to say he'll spread it, because even choosing the moral option is, in my opinion, a way of getting happiness. You get happiness from obeying your conscience. So here we're saying that the ultimate happiness is in disobeying your conscience (which is just untenable).