Crush your child's dream or let them fail?
Ethical thought experiments reveal the hidden weights we assign to loyalty, honesty, and the greater good. Read the scenario below, lock in your choice, and then scroll down to explore the philosophy behind your decision.
Your child, aged 12, is passionate about a creative pursuit — singing, drawing, football — and practises every day. You can clearly see they are not talented enough to succeed professionally, and you know people in the industry who have confirmed your assessment. Your child wants to pursue this as a career. You can gently tell them the truth now, saving years of eventual disappointment, or support the dream until reality delivers the lesson itself.
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The Philosophy Behind This Choice
Article Overview
- The psychology behind this loyalty
- Evolutionary advantages and origins
- Modern implications & studies
The moral dilemma of whether to honesty inform a child of their limited talent in a creative pursuit or to support their dream until reality sets in is a complex one, conflicting Utilitarianism's goal of maximizing overall happiness with Deontology's emphasis on truthful interaction. On one hand, a Utilitarian approach might suggest supporting the child's dream to maximize their current happiness, even if it means eventual disappointment. On the other hand, a Deontologist would argue that honesty is always the best policy, regardless of potential consequences.
However, the unreliability of early talent assessments and the negative effects of early discouragement on development, as noted by philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre who emphasized human freedom and choice, complicate this decision. The concept of sunk cost fallacy, a psychological bias, also plays a role, as resources invested in a potentially futile pursuit are not necessarily lost if they contribute to the child's personal growth and fulfillment.
"Human behavior is rarely random. Even our strangest quirks are deeply rooted in evolutionary biology and social preservation."
Ultimately, the question of whether the dream has value independent of its professional outcome is central to resolving this dilemma. If the value of pursuing a creative passion lies in the act itself, rather than the end result, then supporting the child's dream may be the most ethical choice, even if it means eventual disappointment.
Philosophical Context & Sources
OddlyHuman Ethics Team
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