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GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

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Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#301

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The claim that the act of creation gives you exclusive rights can be coercion in a value system that doesn't care about the act of creation (or just cares less about it than things like mutual agreement about what to do with the commons).

I think it's self-evident that a person should not be deprived of what they create without their consent. I'm not sure what you mean by "mutual agreement", but I assume you don't mean that literally, as there would be no conflict and no need for any kind of ethical theory in a situation where everyone agrees.

That's what I'm trying to get at, those things aren't self evident, they are a value system.

Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#302
post #283

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I encountered children begging for food and/or money in Delhi

Yes, I think that's captured by "the most desperately impoverished portions of Indian cities". Their parents have often sent them to beg, because the need is greater than that society's willingness to fill (vs. low income school lunch programs in the US that keep us from having that scenario). The blame for that situation is squarely on India. But you don't have to go very far up the socioeconomic ladder even in Indi…

> The blame for that situation is squarely on India.

This is a bit of a sweeping statement. Colonization has a big role to play here also. When the british left india the average life expectancy was barely 40. Many other former colonies struggle with poverty and the socioeconomic disaster that it brings along. India has improved since then but has a long way to go.

Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#303

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the approach is clumsy and overly constrained, but I would hope the idea was that by being forced to actually interact with neighbors and their families it would increase social cohesion and empathy. I don't think that's particularly incorrect, isolation from neighbors and the invisibility of the poor makes it a heck of a lot easier to ignore their problems. I'm not sure in this case it's sympathy or empathy,…

Pretty sure that being forced to do things typically increases resentment, not social cohesion and empathy.

Sure, sometimes. Certainly against the people applying force.

I am definitely not suggesting this approach will help, it seems like a ridiculous solution that's all about exploiting performative compassion for the sake of the hacker's egos...

But I also disagree with your statement as a blanket claim. Kids are forced to go to school and while they'll be resentful of the system or their parents or their teachers I haven't really seen kids being resentful of each other and certainly their peer group develops social cohesion and empathy for one another.

Everyone forced to do community service doesn't necessarily resent the people they are helping, they resent the judicial system.

At least, that seems like the rational response to me, it would be incredibly petty to resent some kids you take to dinner just because you're doing it due to blackmail. Resent the blackmailers...

Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#304

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I can see a scenario in which a "chaotic good" hacker uses a customized form of ransomware on some large corporation or extremely wealthy person in order to force them to make a donation or do some majorly positive action for the world.¹ Pulling this off without going against the "good" qualification would require appropriately selecting the target and files to encrypt, and appropriately phrasing the demands made to…

> "do some majorly positive action for the world" What can Jeff Bezos do more positive than creating Amazon? What can Elon Musk do more positive than creating Tesla and SpaceX? etc. etc.

> What can Jeff Bezos do more positive than creating Amazon?

Donating

Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#305
post #57

What happens when a poor person gets this virus?

Is there a way to prove that you own an old bank account with X money in it? Or better, to be able to exhaustively list your bank accounts and their respective amounts? Well a salary bill pay document should be enough though if not falsifiable.

I expect not. Actual government agencies have trouble with that kind of thing (for taxation/fines/judgment enforcement); random hackers have no chance.

Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#306

This thing was written by someone who doesn't live in a developed country... There's no way to do those actions in a developed country. Does this person think that just random children are available to be given food to?

I don't understand your point. Do you think poverty is something far away in 3rd world countries only? Your point is probably moot in countries with strong social welfare systems, but the USA for example has 16% of its children living in poverty. I live in a VERY well-off area in the USA, yet one of the local food banks I'm somewhat connected is frequented by a lot of families with children. Non-perishable food + kid…

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Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have to visit a few low key specialists: Neuro etc. And while waiting is true sometimes calling around helps. The teeth problem I'm aware of and find it quite unfair indeed. Nonetheless cancer doesn't make you poor in comparison to the USA. Still something which has to be fixed in Germany. But you still have the option to go private if you want.

Do you have personal experience with fully private heathcare systems in other countries? I ask because reacting to criticism of your system with whataboutism concerning the US is not rational, that's a fallacious argument. As for the US I'm not an expert but my gut feeling is that people compare apples to oranges just like with most of these international comparisons. Cost of living is much higher in the US first of…

There were articles of people from USA with proper jobs taking a deep dive after cancer.

The critisism is coming from USA to.

Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#309
post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While the action may look creepy and KFCs definitely not the healthiest choice, it is donating. You are donating food to someone hungry.

You’re probably just helping poor people acquire diabetes faster. In the USA poor people are more likely to be fat suggesting food access is not a problem.

If someone's really hungry ordering them a meal in KFC is better than them not eating anything.

No one's going to get that type II from a Zinger or two.

Re: GoodWill ransomware forces victims to donate to the poor

#310
post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's only perhaps possible in the most desperately impoverished portions of Indian cities. If you think even moderately poor and above Indians are going to be OK with a random person picking up their children for a meal, that's pretty unlikely.

I encountered children begging for food and/or money in Delhi

Slumdog pizzanaire.
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