There is something about our outlook in this world that has been bothering me lately. I can't quite put my finger on it. Some are blaming systemic bad behaviors on our economic system, political interests, etc. But I think a lot of the bad we are seeing isn't just about the systems that we work within/under.
I often hear bad behavior justified in one of two ways: They made me do it" or "I didn't force them to accept a raw deal, they took it of their own volition." I have seen many people I believed to be good do bad things using these justifications, but they are never a satisfying ones.
I think people forget that in every relationship, in every transaction there are two parties, and morality isn't just about the morals of the individual/group in the accepting role, but it is also about the individual/groups making the offers. Why don't we hold offerers to the same moral standards we hold acceptors. Like somehow we agree the acceptors make bad moral judgments, but those who offer are viewed to create "opportunities"- we don't see their offers framed in a moral context.
I know I am just rambling, but I think if people, governments, groups would eliminate the moral fallacy that someone else "made" them do something or the one where the person/group/government oppressed is the one judged because they "didn't have to take a bad deal" we would have a better world. Everyone needs to accept that they choose all of their actions-even when options are few. To do that would be to accept that oftentimes choices are never clear cut and are quite complicated. Accepting that we own our actions would also make it easier to accept the fact that there is just no pure good and/or pure evil in this world...just what we do...and because of that we must always do good in spite of what others "make us" do.
I often hear bad behavior justified in one of two ways: They made me do it" or "I didn't force them to accept a raw deal, they took it of their own volition." I have seen many people I believed to be good do bad things using these justifications, but they are never a satisfying ones.
I think people forget that in every relationship, in every transaction there are two parties, and morality isn't just about the morals of the individual/group in the accepting role, but it is also about the individual/groups making the offers. Why don't we hold offerers to the same moral standards we hold acceptors. Like somehow we agree the acceptors make bad moral judgments, but those who offer are viewed to create "opportunities"- we don't see their offers framed in a moral context.
I know I am just rambling, but I think if people, governments, groups would eliminate the moral fallacy that someone else "made" them do something or the one where the person/group/government oppressed is the one judged because they "didn't have to take a bad deal" we would have a better world. Everyone needs to accept that they choose all of their actions-even when options are few. To do that would be to accept that oftentimes choices are never clear cut and are quite complicated. Accepting that we own our actions would also make it easier to accept the fact that there is just no pure good and/or pure evil in this world...just what we do...and because of that we must always do good in spite of what others "make us" do.
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