Is it fair to reap the benefits of your brothers courage while letting him slide under the bus because you are afraid to tell the truth?
Originally Posted by cpi3000
We make a bargain of sorts with one another. We will make some sacrifices ourselves -- whether of time and effort to provide information, or $$$ to keep a site operating (where pay versus contribute by reviewing is an option), or suffering the slings and arrows of minor harassment -- for our brethren's benefit, because we also receive benefits from similar sacrifices by those same brethren.
But . . .
At
some point, there may be a limit to the sacrifice it is reasonable for the community to expect. I don't mind (too much) an angry email from a lady. Been there, done that, the scars faded long ago, willing to do it again if need be. But I can't be expected to act in the community's behalf if there were a
serious risk of being outed to my family and employer.
That's what the argument is really about. It's about where you draw the line. The extremes are the
easy answers. Most of us are willing to put up with some very mild discomfort, and expect the same from others. Most of us wouldn't make heroic sacrifices, and don't expect that from others either. But in between the extremes, many of us draw the line at different places. Particularly in an uncertain environment and with a lot to risk, there is sometimes a tendency to be overly cautious. As long as we don't expect others to sacrifice (on our behalf) more than we are willing to sacrifice (on their behalf), though, it's primarily an issue where reasonable minds may disagree.
And when it's a question of line-drawing, rather than simple yes/no questions, it may be a good idea to be particularly careful/respectful about discussing it in the abstract.
Or not.
