Let's assume a death cult has become the NZ government. They set about doing death cult-y stuff like driving as many species to extinction as possible, giving all the maori kids lung cancer, promoting car dependence to burn fossil fuels leading to climate change, ensuring our drinking water is mixed with cow shit, drilling as many oil wells as possible, etc etc.

Now let's assume a totally not death cult just average normal right wingers become the NZ government. They set about doing normal right wing stuff like driving as many species to extinction as possible, giving all the maori kids lung cancer, promoting car dependence to burn fossil fuels leading to climate change, ensuring our drinking water is mixed with cow shit, drilling as many oil wells as possible, etc etc.

What's the difference?

There isn't any.

Because they're a death cult.

[–] Rangelus 7 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Oh I see what you meant now, I'm afraid that went right over my head at first.

As much as I despise what this govt is doing, I don't think the hyperbole of comparing them to a death cult is warranted or helpful.

I think their actions are perfectly explainable by them being selfish bigots who only care about hoovering up as much wealth as possible for themselves and their friends, while making sure anyone different doesn't take anything they might want.

[–] TagMeInSkipIGotThis 4 points 8 months ago

They're not just bigoted, they live completely deluded lives and/or are psychopathic in their commitment to their own betterment at the expense of others..

Eg, they either truly believe that everyone is able to become wealthy and live successful, healthy and happy lives no matter what start they had and what opportunities were handed to them. OR, they know that inequality of opportunity is a massive determining factor in quality of life, and they really don't care if they have to step on the poor, or the different in order to have more for themselves and ensure their children start with even more opportunity.

I think there are examples of both behaviours in this government. There's folks who seem like they don't realise they were born with an 80m head start in a 100m sprint and think they did a huge amount of work to "earn" their success. And i'm sure that some of them are perfectly capable of understanding that what they promote will increase inequality which will increase societal harm, and they just don't care.

[–] rimu@piefed.social 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Yeah, I'm not really serious about this, just seeing how far I can go with it before it falls apart under the weight of it's own absurdity.

Can we think of anything they've done which a death cult would not ever do? Feed the hungry, house the homeless, etc?

[–] AWOL_muppet 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Tax cuts?

...nah - they totally would if the death cult was also the govt. I dunno - it's an interesting thought experiment!