Pfft Ethics
Friday, September 25, 2009 at 12:00PM In Ethics class, I learned all about the different theories as to what is moral, good, just, etc. For example, one guy said moral statements like “Murder is Wrong!” amount to nothing more than “Yelk. I don’t like murder!”
I’m just too lazy right now to actually look up who said that or make sure my assessment is accurate after all these years. The guy is dead now, so I doubt he cares if I am not giving him credit or even getting it right.
Likewise, some other dead guy once said that we create our moral codes according to our own wants, rather selfish of us really and not quite reaching a higher state of morality at all. For example, “Since I don’t want to be murdered, it must be wrong.” In my opinion, he should have been called out for plagerism ‘cause it sounds an awful lot like what my man Jesus once said: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
But anyway, the point is you learn all this stuff, along with what your parents teach you, what your assigned religion dictates to you and what other citizens, both past and present, force you to adhere to. Laws are arbitrary, created by groups of flawed humans. Moral codes are guesswork, supposedly driven by a higher power or consciousness.
In the end, you just are left with this question: Am I a good person? And you aren’t really sure what that means, yet alone how to go about actually answering it.
If you are like me, you simply muddle along hoping for the best, because after studying this theory or that theory, you more or less have a faith breakdown and eventually come to grips with the possibility that truth is nothing but an illusion, destiny is most likely a joke and God is just another three letter word.
Until you have a child. Until you are charged with the moral task of raising a good person. And you aren’t really sure what that means, yet alone how to go about actually doing it.
Because really, if two thousand years of dead guys couldn’t figure this shit out, how am I suppose to? If our highest order of divine revelations contradict each other, how do I know which one is right? So again, I find myself just muddling through, hoping for the best. Perhaps with a tad more apprehension now, a bit more worry now and for sure, a lot more hoping now.
Then something happens like today, when my four year old sees a classmate crying for her mother, totally distraught over having to to go to school. And my daughter is the only one who drops out line, comes up to me with tears in her eyes and begs me to do something mommy, please help her.
When things like that happen, that’s when I think maybe I’m doing more that just muddling through after all. Or maybe, just maybe this little being who entered my life will finally help me understand what being a good person actually means.
Reader Comments (3)
I think that anyone who feels the need to ask themselves whether or not they are a good person is inherently good. Otherwise, you wouldnt care, right. The fact is that no one is perfect and anyone who thinks they are is well, uh.... not.
What a sweet thing your daughter did at school. She must have known that you could in fact "do something". I bet she even feels empowered by her ability to do something. Nice story to read on a Friday.
What a great post. And I think, with the example you give at the end with your daughter proves that you are "a good person." You are leading by example and your daugther is taking cues from you.
i agree with previous comments.... if you are able to reflect on the nature of goodness, you will find it in yourself and those around you.