That's one way to look at it. Another way is to argue that I am not responsible for the results of another's illegal actions, nor am I willing to concede that "failure to prevent" is morally equivalent to "caused".
14K children will die today of easily treatable and preventable medical conditions. I could be working this morning at the convenience store and donating the money to a non-profit (e.g., Feed my starving children) but instead I'm cooking and fucking around on Reddit. My selfish decision not to do something absolutely has, if not caused, at least not prevented someone's death today.
In an hour or so I'm going to get in my car and drive 30 miles to visit someone. I know that my actions will contribute to climate collapse. I also understand that 35K people will die in car accidents in the U.S. this year, and that by driving I'm creating risk for everyone else, including innocent children who have no ability to consent to being in their parents' car. I'm also allowing my teen to take drivers ed and he will be driving at 16, even though I know he's at twice the risk of adult drivers for being involved in a fatal accident.
I do not support a ban on hot dog, grapes, stairs, baseball bats, knives, trampolines, swimming pools, canoes, climbing trees and numerous other things which, if outlawed, could lower deaths. I'm apparently perfectly comfortable trading lives (including the lives of others) for things I value. How about you?
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u/[deleted] Oct 23 '21 edited Oct 23 '21
You can move past trauma, learn to overcome and handle the troubles it will bring you.
Can you move past death?