And by deplorable morals, you mean people that don't share your morals? So, like, most of the world I imagine?
Morality is an opinion. And in my view, your electric company shutting off your power because they don't like who you are would be positively dystopian.
Let's say Patreon took a strong moral stance that you absolutely disagreed with. Would you still think it commendable?
Yes, morality is an opinion. "Nazis are bad." That is indeed my opinion. If I found out that Amazon was working with Nazis, I would try to pressure Amazon to stop.
What would you do? No, honestly. What would you do?
Do you think Amazon should freely and proudly work with Nazis, "because of neutrality"?
"So, like, most of the world I imagine?" No, I think there's a pretty low bar of morality that most of the world does in fact agree upon. I'm not asking for much more than that. Others might, and I might hope they lose out in the long run.
To answer your questions:
"Deciding to punch or not to punch old ladies is an important decision. I think it's commendable that Patreon is making a moral decision." Yes, it's implied that I commend Patreon because they are making the moral decision I agree with, not just that they have made a moral decision.
"How to stop old ladies from getting punched" is a political discussion. "In general, people shouldn't punch old ladies" is a moral position. "We will not work with people who advocate punching old ladies" is a moral decision I would agree with. "We will exclusively work with people who advocate punching all old ladies" is a moral decision I would disagree with.
Judging a company by their actions is a valid thing to do. It's remarkable to me that this is up for debate.
And I would judge that power company as being morally wrong, unless I agreed with them that the person they shut off was repugnant. Should PG&E provide power to the California Nazi Party? Maybe not.
If you want to make fun of me, perhaps you would enjoy this song:
Quite frankly: no, unless you subscribe to the sort of philosophy that that believes there is such thing as morality. It's an attractive philosophy, but nobody I've met has ever actually behaved that way.
If I punched your face and gave you a bloody nose, you would almost certainly not act like I simply have an alternative opinion about where my knuckles belong.
Edit: I think we might have a difference in how we're using language. An opinion, as I'm using the term, is a belief that we don't strongly believe that other people ought to believe as well.
Patreon endorses its customers. Therefore they should police their platform as they see fit.
Amazon is completely different. If Amazon hires a Nazi as a warehouse worker then it is not endorsing whatever opinion the warehouse worker has. The warehouse worker is only there to provide his labor and receive a paycheck. Amazon can decide to not let Nazis be in charge of press releases and it also has no obligation to publicly talk about the political affiliation of its factory workers.
Don't you see the huge difference? Some people sign up for Patreon because Nazis are on their platform. In the Amazon case you're not buying Amazon products because Nazis are handling them.
> Patreon endorses its customers. Therefore they should police their platform as they see fit.
I'm sorry but that's what I've been saying, and you've been disagreeing with me.
> Amazon is completely different.
No, it's not.
Amazon Prime. They should police the content on there.
Amazon Marketplace. They should police the products that are sold on there. Blood diamonds should not be for sale on Amazon.
> If Amazon hires a Nazi as a warehouse worker
There are many things Amazon does. I've highlighted some where yes, Amazon should police themselves, and not support Nazis. You've highlighted one (laborers with Nazi views) where Amazon should maybe turn a blind eye.
What about the Direct of Communications? The VP of Human Resources? Is it okay if Amazon hires a self-avowed white supremacist, card-carrying member of the Nazi party, for a senior leadership position? I'd say they should avoid it. I might even boycott them if they kept someone like that in a senior leadership position.
> Amazon can decide to not let Nazis be in charge of press releases
Again, you're agreeing with me. Why do you pretend like you're not. You are 100% agreeing with me, and occasionally pointing out edge cases that I agree with.
> Don't you see the huge difference?
I agree there is a difference, and there are situations in which (as you agree), Amazon should police Nazi's out. That is my position, and you agree with it, and you've spent a great many words telling me I'm wrong.
Nazi behavior is immoral. Companies that support Nazis are wrong. Hiring a menial laborer who happens to be a Nazi, who doesn't bring it up at work, is probably fine. I hope they're exposed to people from other backgrounds, and stop being a fricking Nazi.
Morality is an opinion. And in my view, your electric company shutting off your power because they don't like who you are would be positively dystopian.
Let's say Patreon took a strong moral stance that you absolutely disagreed with. Would you still think it commendable?