The morality of "checking someone out"

[Alceste]

Well I'm not sure how something everyone does is a "thought crime". Whether or not it's a crime is the debate. You made it vastly more interesting by morality relying not on the act, but rather if others are aware of the act.

You can swing your fists around all you like and it's perfectly moral. Punch somebody in the face and you're in a whole different territory, ethically speaking.

 

[dgirl1986]

There's nothing wrong with checking someone out and enjoying human beauty. Just don't be a perv and make people uncomfortable by openly gawking and/or making rude or stupid comments.

This :yes:

 

[1137]

You can swing your fists around all you like and it's perfectly moral. Punch somebody in the face and you're in a whole different territory, ethically speaking.

They aren't analogous.

 

[Alceste]

They aren't analogous.

Yeah they are. It's not about your actions, it's about their impact on other people.

 

[1137]

Yeah they are. It's not about your actions, it's about their impact on other people.

I don't think swinging your arms around is comparable to checking someone out.

 

[LuisDantas]

It's interesting that whether or not someone notices / is aware of you matters so much.

But of course it does. Feelings matter. Making people confortable or unconfortable has ethical significance.

 

[LuisDantas]

I don't think swinging your arms around is comparable to checking someone out.

Do you fail to see that people can feel weird or even violated by being stared at in certain ways?

 

[Viker]

Checking someone out is okay and natural. Staring/gawking are signs of immaturity or worse.

 

[Alceste]

I don't think swinging your arms around is comparable to checking someone out.

Then you're being intentionally obtuse, IMO.

 

[Pegg]

Ignoring the debate of moral relativism and the banal idea that lust is bad, what is the morality of checking a man or woman out? Does it depend how they carry themselves? Is it a violation to do something such as staring at someone's rear end? Etc.

it would seem that 'checking someone out' refers to their physical appearance.

Judging someone by their physical appearance indicates that you may only be interested in them physically...not emotionally or mentally.

Why is that wrong? Because a person is more then the sum of their parts.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

It's fine to look if you're attractive. If you're ugly, then looking is creepy and perverted.

 

[Nakosis]

Ignoring the debate of moral relativism and the banal idea that lust is bad, what is the morality of checking a man or woman out? Does it depend how they carry themselves? Is it a violation to do something such as staring at someone's rear end? Etc.

For me, checking out a women is morally good. Checking out a man is morally bad.

A woman checking me out is morally good. A man checking me out is morally bad.

My morals are independent of the morals of others. It's just a matter of how I personally feel about things.

 

[1137]

But of course it does. Feelings matter. Making people confortable or unconfortable has ethical significance.

I'm not saying it has no ethical significance, I'm saying "being caught" simply isn't the beginning of morality for me, personally.

Do you fail to see that people can feel weird or even violated by being stared at in certain ways?

Not at all. What you all seem to fail to understand is that, if someone is going to feel violated when they see you're staring at them, the problem is they feel your staring to be a violation, not simply that they noticed you doing it. That means it's always violating that individual whether they're aware of it or not. Without doing it / getting caught you cant tell whether it will be a violation to any given individual or not.

 

[1137]

Then you're being intentionally obtuse, IMO.

Or you are. Checking someone out is doing something to someone, they're simply unaware of it. Swinging your arms around is not doing anything to anyone. They're what we call opposites.

 

[Alceste]

Or you are. Checking someone out is doing something to someone, they're simply unaware of it. Swinging your arms around is not doing anything to anyone. They're what we call opposites.

I've said there's nothing wrong with checking someone out, unless you are making them uncomfortable.

 

[1137]

I've said there's nothing wrong with checking someone out, unless you are making them uncomfortable.

How does one train themselves to sense which individuals will feel uncomfortable when checked out?

 

[Maldini]

Ignoring the debate of moral relativism and the banal idea that lust is bad, what is the morality of checking a man or woman out? Does it depend how they carry themselves? Is it a violation to do something such as staring at someone's rear end? Etc.

Sexuality is a fact and nothing to be hidden or to be ashamed of. It's extremely fine to check someone's body out. What's bad is to judge people for their looks and not for the whole human beings they are.

Sexual body parts are an eye pleasing beauty. If you have a nice car and I check it out, I'm sure the only feeling you get is being flattered. Why not the same approach with our body?

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

For me, checking out a women is morally good. Checking out a man is morally bad.

A woman checking me out is morally good. A man checking me out is morally bad.

My morals are independent of the morals of others. It's just a matter of how I personally feel about things.

Are you going to wear a sign alerting us all to your insecurity?

 

[Nakosis]

Are you going to wear a sign alerting us all to your insecurity?

That I think would be cheating.
Much more interesting to make other people figure that out.

If everyone wore labels about their true nature, how could we lie to each other? Though I suppose it would prevent about 90% of useless conversations.

 

[WhatGod]

Ignoring the debate of moral relativism and the banal idea that lust is bad, what is the morality of checking a man or woman out? Does it depend how they carry themselves? Is it a violation to do something such as staring at someone's rear end? Etc.

Just checking people out has no moral significance until there is an objection.