• Anekdoteles@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    To think a policy of killing off the elderly when they “run out” of societal value during a global pandemic isn’t running up to the line of eugenics is, frankly, kind of absurd.

    This is the key point and you are simply wrong, as you confuse eugenics and utilitarism. It is not absurd to think of the covid example as eugenic, but it does not withstand a closer look, because, as you point out yourself, it’s about the economic value, not the genetic value.

    • KillAllPoorPeople@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      but it does not withstand a closer look, because, as you point out yourself, it’s about the economic value, not the genetic value.

      The reason people are eugenicists is because of some other thing. The “genetic value” doesn’t exist on its own. It exists part of society. Race eugenicists, for example, think their race is superior to others because of x, y, and z (one of the reasons is almost always about “economic value” too).

      • Anekdoteles@feddit.de
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        1 year ago

        Race eugenicists , for example, think their race is superior to others because of x, y, and z (one of the reasons is almost always about “economic value” too).

        Exactly. The intention of eugenics is about the genetic value. If improving economic situation of the majority is the reason for a policy, its utilitarian. A eugenetic policy is always utilitarian under the assumptions of the specific eugenists implementing it. But by overwhelming far majority is not every utilitarian policy a eugenic one. You so far, only prestend utilitarian ideas and not a single instance, where improving the genetic value is the actual intention. A utilitarian policy aiming at economic value and by accident also somehow influencing reproduction behaviour is not eugenic.