Let me clarify, I was not judging how Taichi acted in that single situation, but rather the undesirable aspects of his character that were exposed in the scene in question, including any hidden thoughts that he would not express otherwise.
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Originally Posted by Blonto
I see a better option as one that helps the largest number of people. Selfishness is focused on the well-being of only one person, altruism focuses on the well-being of many. This number rises even further if the person is willing to risk their own well-being, rather than not even try out of fear for their own well-being. The only way it can be bad is if the person is truly destroying himself in the process and Taichi is nowhere near that.
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The ethics debate is long, tedious, and ultimately futile, so I'd rather not pursue this further, but if you think that utilitarian principles are the way to go, fine (though I should add that utilitarianism suffers from several flaws of practicality).
But those principles wouldn't necessarily apply to a person who does not believe that human lives are of equal value, for example an individual who holds a predominantly egocentric view. It sounds ugly, I know, but it's interesting how perspectives can change form by simply changing a few assumptions.
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Originally Posted by Blonto
I don't remember Taichi saying anything of the sort. If he judged people for not wanting to kill themselves for others, he'd lash out at Aoki for suggesting Iori dies with her own body in episode 5. Instead he calmly accepted both Iori's wish and his friends' unwillingness to give their lives for Iori.
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Like you said, the regulatory mechanisms that kept his behavior in check during that incident were well intact, so any objections he might have had were not expressed.
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Originally Posted by Blonto
No, his anger was directed at Inaba's willingness to not get herself involved with a friend in need. Inaba is doing the exact same thing Yui is doing, she's avoiding normal contact out of fear that this new gimmick will make her hurt people even more.
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And? Was there anything unusual about her sentiments? Wasn't that the logical thing to do?
Mind you, I'm not judging Taichi's personality here, but the way he condemned Himeko for just acting the way she did was a glimpse into a darker side of his psyche. Don't get me wrong. I actually like this development since it hints at something interesting behind that white knight facade of his.
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Originally Posted by Blonto
Aside from that, are you forgetting that Taichi's desire got released in that scene? He was frustrated at Inaba's passiveness regarding a friend who's suffering. The only reason he's "imposing his beliefs" is because he's saying what he's thinking due to this new gimmick.
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There it is again. While, of course, we can blame the present circumstances for that incident. It is undeniable that he expressed what he truly felt at the moment, so we can't fully absolve him of responsibility for his actions. Therefore, you can't say that he wasn't himself since it was just as much a part of him as his usual personality, just that it's a part that he usually keeps hidden.