Reply #23: Maybe I wasn't clear enough [View All]

[kiahzero]

Of course good principles have people in mind. Here's the situation where you have to choose:

Support your principle, in a situation where supporting it might end up hurting more people in the short term, or maybe even in the long term.

OR

Try and minimize the harm inflicted upon people in the short term, and possibly the long term as well, even if it contrasts with your principles.

Here's an example with no relation to politics:
You've committed a crime for which you are remorseful. You understand that you should be imprisoned. However, you have a skill the government needs to help protect citizens, and hence needs to break you out of prison (think covert ops, or something).

Do you:
Advance your principle: Stay in prison, because that's where you belong.
Sacrifice your principle: Leave prison, because you need to help your fellow man.