Which Murder is Worse?

[You-Gi-Owe]

There are a couple of topics regarding killers, motives and punishments.

I, generally, think that it's the intent to kill, rather than the motive, that's the important difference between murder and other forms of homicide.

So, NSG, which is worse:

A. Killing based on a form of hatred

OR

B. Killing for personal gain.

OR

C. Both types of killing are equally bad.

Personally, I would answer "C", but if I had to choose between the first two options, I'd choose "B" for it's cold-blooded-ness.

[The Black Forrest]

Hint: Premeditation.

[Greater Tezdrian]

B. Killing for personal gain.

[You-Gi-Owe]

Hint: Premeditation.

Can't both be premeditated?
What about the hater who contracts someone to kill the hated person for them?

[Blazedtown]

Yes.

[Unhealthy2]

Where's the "Both are equally good." option?

[Greater Tezdrian]

Where's the "Both are equally good." option?

Trololol.

[Unhealthy2]

Trololol.

No, it's just my religion. Have you heard the good news of Jashin?

[Naurobia]

Both are equally bad in my eyes.

[Iterium]

i think killing for personal gain is worse. Killing for hatred implies they have wronged the killer in the past, albeit it likely wasnt murder worthy, while killing someone just to steal there possessions is both stupid and heartless

[Greater Tezdrian]

Trololol.

No, it's just my religion. Have you heard the good news of Jashin?

I thought you preached the Word of Hitchens?

[The Black Forrest]

Hint: Premeditation.

Can't both be premeditated?
What about the hater who contracts someone to kill the hated person for them?

One is premeditated; the other at times could be......

[Unhealthy2]

I thought you preached the Word of Hitchens?

No. I don't really like Hitchens the neocon. Also, I was making a nerdy reference.

[SaintB]

Can't both be premeditated?
What about the hater who contracts someone to kill the hated person for them?

One is premeditated; the other at times could be......

Neither has to be premeditated. For instance if someone is harassed or molested in such a manner or enough times that they get angry and kill someone in a moment of passion they murder someone it is not premeditated. Now like that case with the homosexual kid shot by another student same scenario essentially but this time the killer had time to focus his rage and plan the attack; it was a premeditated murder.

Its possible with murder for gain too. If someone breaks into a person's home and steals valuable objects and then is confronted by the owner and then kills them, he is guilty of murder for gain but it was not premeditated it was in the moment. The more common murder for gain is premeditated though like someone killing their spouse for monetary gains.

I ascribe to the murder is murder is murder school of thought though. I'm unconcerned with which is worse I am concerned that its murder.

[Ifreann]

Well James Bond is cool, so killing out of hate, I guess.

[Robert Magoo]

Murder is bad.

[Ifreann]

Murder is bad.

Obviously you're just posting this insane, controversial position because you're a troll.

[Xirius]

Hatred is worse imo

[SaintB]

Murder is bad.

Mmmmkay?

[Jello Biafra]

i think killing for personal gain is worse. Killing for hatred implies they have wronged the killer in the past,

Yeah, like by being black or gay within the killer's vicinity.

[The Norwegian Blue]

There is absolutely no way of judging whether "some random murder inspired in some way by hate" is worse than "some random murder inspired in some way by greed." Even the word "worse" makes relatively little sense in this context - are we talking about which does more harm to a greater number of people? About which warrants a longer sentence for the murderer? About which is, by some objective moral standard, more evil?

Luckily, our criminal justice system doesn't operate in such stupid terms. Which crimes are "worse" is based not on a one-word summation of their supposed motives, but on the actual details of the crime in question. We care about things like whether it is premeditated, whether it was done with intent to kill, and whether the victim was targeted solely for being a member of a particular group, and we determine sentencing accordingly, because the non-morons who make up our criminal justice system recognize that it would be painfully stupid to pretend that someone who killed someone for being black/white/gay/straight/Jewish/Christian/etc. is not at much greater risk to reoffend than someone who, in a fit of rage, shot the guy who was schtupping his wife. Being non-morons, they also recognize that the second man's crime harmed the victim and his friends and family, but that there is no larger community of "guys who schtupp the killer's wife" who need to live in fear, while the first man's crime is specifically and deliberately intended to cause not just the harm inherent to any murder, but also to let all black/white/gay/straight/Jewish/Christian/etc. people know that they are in danger solely for existing, too. I'm thankful for these non-morons who do not try to divorce a crime entirely of context and who keep our system pretty darn good at sentencing killers appropriately based on the harm they caused and the risk of reoffense.

[Robert Magoo]

Murder is bad.

Obviously you're just posting this insane, controversial position because you're a troll.

[Robert Magoo]

Murder is bad.

Mmmmkay?

Not as empty of a statement as it might appear. I mean to say that whether it's committed in hate or for personal gain, it's still just as bad and deserves equal punishment. I think motive may be useful in determining intent, but it in itself should have no impact on sentencing.

[Aeronos]

Both equal. Murder is murder, the motives change nothing.

[Vectrova]

-snip-

Well said.

The choice is meaningless as there is no context. I wouldn't be surprised, however, if YGO was trying to make hate-based murders seem less bad (especially due to that other thread he made over somebody killing a man because he hit on him).