My general assumption for the lowest I can expect a person to behave is basically always looking for their own absolute gain, and any attitude towards other people comes secondary to that. So while a person living by this standard wouldn’t donate to charity without some other motive, they would have basically the same answer to something like the trolley problem as anyone else.
Am I wrong thinking of this as a “minimum reasonable behavior”, or is there something people actually gain from the suffering of other people?
This question was born out of seeing how people are being treated by the US government at the moment, but I’m asking about more than just that. People like abusive partners/family, hostile cops, or just bullies in general.
cruelty is a tool by which you enforce your will over a large population.
citizens not behaving? remove gun laws that put children at risk.
citizens not worshipping you? take away their ability to provide for their families.
citizens rebellious against you? violently capture them in public and send them to a dark hole never to be seen from again.
funny thing about cruelty is, if you must be cruel be decisive and quick. let no more suffering happen than what is needed. people who live in unnecessarily cruel environments tend to stop being afraid after awhile…and then the riots start.