# I pit the statement from the US Embassy in Cairo

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-statement-from-the-us-embassy-in-cairo/634432>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [September 11, 2012, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-statement-from-the-us-embassy-in-cairo/634432 "2012-09-11T21:24:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 23

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2012, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-the-statement-from-the-us-embassy-in-cairo/634432/441 "2012-09-21T05:22:11Z")

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**Trinopus** : The general point you’re raising, I think, is, “Why be moral, aside from the law?” If I’m correct, there’s no good answer to this, except that amorality has a slippery slope. [1]

Once you admit the _possibility_ that morality exists, then all the philosophical structures can be introduced.  
[1] Actually, there are probably plenty of snappy answers, all of them insults in one way or another. Because that’s all you have when you’re dealing with a \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ [insult!]. To be clear though, I’ve wondered about your question as well, assuming I haven’t misunderstood. I suspect that the topic is part of what Doestyesky had in mind when he wrote _Crime and Punishment_: if so, methinks he veered off topic.

> [@](#):
>
> But think, instead, of an environment like this, a discussion forum where words and only words are hurled.

I haven’t encountered anybody here who is wholly equanimous and detached in the face of a hard pitting. Which is sort of odd when you think about it. Apparently we are social creatures and have buttons that can be engaged with sufficient effort.

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