That was a mistake- I meant means justify the ends.
Vivien Send a noteboard - 22/09/2011 05:01:41 PM
Bad stuff Uncle John has done:
He hasn't been a father to Elena. That's a bad thing, but it's more or less for the best because she was better off with his brother's family.
He cooperated with vampires (Isabel, Katherine)- that's kind of a negative thing but it was for the greater good because it led to less vampires overall. [Season 1 was so interesting! I really was intrigued by the idea that Katherine plotted to trap all those vampires in the tomb because she realized that vampires are parasites that do bad things, and she did her best to get rid of most of them. Not herself because the survival instinct is too strong]
He killed Anna- who is a relatively good vampire. Of course there was nothing he really could have done. It's unlikely that he could have carried her out of there, I bet the rest of the council was standing guard. Killing her was a mercy kill- she would have suffered more if she was burned alive. Even killing Anna is means justify the ends situation, because even if she stays a good vampire forever and even if she only drinks animal blood, her blood could still be used to get more vampires and you never know.
Again I like Uncle John, I always want to defend him. I really like that he's the only one who's not afraid of anyone (or at least doesn't show it). At first you think it's because of the ring, but then he's the same without it.
Anyway, being forced by the realities of the situation, and his own family members' idiotic alignment with the vampires, to cooperate with the lesser evils (even Damon: it's not like John gives him a pass while hunting down much nicer or more harmless vampires - he's no Holtz from "Angel", for instance, who proved more than once that he was indifferent to the morality of any situation and cared more for revenge than righting a wrong) does not make him a hypocrite or 'ends justify the means' (did you reverse it on purpose? If so, I don't get your meaning) pragmatist.
Someone who abused Ends Justify the Means morality would, for example, burn down a building full of innocent humans to kill a vampire inside, or perform a ritual to kill a large number of vampires that required a human sacrifice. John does not do anything like that. Offering help to the Salvatores to protect his daughter is simply setting priorities: first stop the vampires threatening your family, and if you can use a weaker vampire to take down a more powerful one, that is perfectly morally acceptable (unless you are enabling him to get that power himself and become a greater menace to innocents, or are letting him kill innocents in order to empower himself to fight the greater menace - those are cases of Ends Justify the Means being abused).
He hasn't been a father to Elena. That's a bad thing, but it's more or less for the best because she was better off with his brother's family.
He cooperated with vampires (Isabel, Katherine)- that's kind of a negative thing but it was for the greater good because it led to less vampires overall. [Season 1 was so interesting! I really was intrigued by the idea that Katherine plotted to trap all those vampires in the tomb because she realized that vampires are parasites that do bad things, and she did her best to get rid of most of them. Not herself because the survival instinct is too strong]
He killed Anna- who is a relatively good vampire. Of course there was nothing he really could have done. It's unlikely that he could have carried her out of there, I bet the rest of the council was standing guard. Killing her was a mercy kill- she would have suffered more if she was burned alive. Even killing Anna is means justify the ends situation, because even if she stays a good vampire forever and even if she only drinks animal blood, her blood could still be used to get more vampires and you never know.
Again I like Uncle John, I always want to defend him. I really like that he's the only one who's not afraid of anyone (or at least doesn't show it). At first you think it's because of the ring, but then he's the same without it.
Part of the reason why I liked the first season was the stuff with the council- that was interesting and awesome and I wanted to learn more. Unfortunately, the show has chosen to portray them as hapless fools instead.
Hear, hear.Anyway, being forced by the realities of the situation, and his own family members' idiotic alignment with the vampires, to cooperate with the lesser evils (even Damon: it's not like John gives him a pass while hunting down much nicer or more harmless vampires - he's no Holtz from "Angel", for instance, who proved more than once that he was indifferent to the morality of any situation and cared more for revenge than righting a wrong) does not make him a hypocrite or 'ends justify the means' (did you reverse it on purpose? If so, I don't get your meaning) pragmatist.
Someone who abused Ends Justify the Means morality would, for example, burn down a building full of innocent humans to kill a vampire inside, or perform a ritual to kill a large number of vampires that required a human sacrifice. John does not do anything like that. Offering help to the Salvatores to protect his daughter is simply setting priorities: first stop the vampires threatening your family, and if you can use a weaker vampire to take down a more powerful one, that is perfectly morally acceptable (unless you are enabling him to get that power himself and become a greater menace to innocents, or are letting him kill innocents in order to empower himself to fight the greater menace - those are cases of Ends Justify the Means being abused).
Vampire Diaries: Why does everyone hate Uncle John?
- 18/09/2011 12:13:35 AM
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I did, until I realized why I did.
- 19/09/2011 08:24:42 PM
710 Views
Re: I did, until I realized why I did.
- 20/09/2011 12:30:25 PM
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He's a means justify the ends guy.
- 21/09/2011 04:22:02 PM
656 Views
That label generally means he's done something bad. Which he has not, as far as I can remember.
- 22/09/2011 01:53:27 PM
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That was a mistake- I meant means justify the ends.
- 22/09/2011 05:01:41 PM
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