Intention ain't shit. Deontology is bankrupt.
Only actions count. Results, if you can get them, but the future is always uncertain.
Neither can you control what people think of you. You only have control over your own decisions.
this post was submitted on 24 Aug 2023
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Asklemmy
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You're not answering the question. Actions have intentions, and they are also perceived a certain way by others.
"You only have control over your own decisions"
So intention is more important? Your decisions result in an intention for a certain action.
My answer is that neither intention nor perception are the most important. Intention, after all, is just your personal, internal perception. Only the actual action matters; not how it is perceived, not how one meant it to be perceived.
The most important things in life always have some element of intent.
Take marriage for example. It’s the most important decision of your life, you’re choosing who would amount as a co-proxy with you. Are you really going to let perception have power over validation? Imagine living in a culture that doesn’t allow interracial marriage and you’re discovered to be living with someone of another race. Would you accept society’s rejection of the notion you enjoy their company?
Take last wills and testaments as another example. Imagine dying, giving your last commands while on your deathbed, and some kid in the family is like “I’m going to run this by the whole neighborhood”.
Or I’ll put it another way: if perception is good, there wouldn’t be so many people here who say they dislike/denounce Wikipedia in arguments like this since Wikipedia is built on unspecific mass perception.
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Without some context that's kind of difficult to answer.
I often see rhetoric stating that its more important how people perceive what you’re saying, as opposed to how you intended to have it sound.
I wonder how I could edit my question to make this more clear? Where I live this is a common concept. But for other people maybe not. I've done a great job of confusing everyone so far.
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Intent isn't magic. We aren't mind readers, so literally the only way to know what you intend is if you literally say it.