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Morality is a matter of daily choices, not of overriding precepts.

created by Ahab

(idea) by Ahab (2.1 mon) (print)   ?   (I like it!) Thu Mar 29 2001 at 20:51:25

"If one lives considerately and generously, one lives morally."

Stanley Kauffman, "Me You Them".
The New Republic, March 26, 2001, p. 26.

It's such a beautiful thought and probably the correct one. We tend to think of ourselves as an advanced people, thus requiring elaborate systems of thought, be they religious (Christian, Hindu etc.), literary (classical, romantic, post-modern etc.) or whatever. But isn't the ultimate system of thought/morality is hardwired into humanity?

I know that I'm not the first to have this idea, but I write this node as a call out to everyone who is looking for themselves -- don't let your belief system squash your humanity, make the system accept it as you define it on a daily basis.

As an example of daily morality, let me cite from my tradition, a tradition that sadly has a hard time acting this way sometimes:

John 4

In this chapter Christ drinks some water with a local whore. When his disciples return and find him with her they are stunned. They are holy men, and are concerned that he will be sullied by her presence. On top of that, she is a Samaritan and he is a Jew. Jews and Samaritans do not associate with each other. Yet Christ does so anyway. Why? There are several reasons but the reason for the purpose of this node is because it was the moral thing to do.


printable version
chaos

E2 Voting and the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle You call that philosophy? Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter situational ethics
Ted Bundy's defense of moral subjectivism John 4 Your radical ideas about taking candy from thefez have already occurred to others Samaritan
Aggression in America You just cut that guy off Sonnet 79 (Men call you fair, and you do credit it) humanity
Christian Ethical egoism Roman sexuality I wish I was carrying cigarettes
Your radical ideas about society, individualism, and religion have already occurred to others socialist calculation problem Your radical ideas about New World Orders have already occurred to others moral law
Your radical ideas about roman numerals have already occurred to others Thirty Sonnets: Sonnet VIII morality without Duddy Kravitz
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