Boston Gothic

Boston Gothic, originally uploaded by cronbach.

Moving away from the city, Bret and Corrie get comfy in the sticks.

My morality? Your morality!

If morality is not relative much in the way that aesthetics are not relative. Then there must be some sort of characteristics of an ultimate moral code. If I can unequivocally say that Bach's music is better than Britney Spears, despite her popularity, then I should be able to come up with a certain value assessments about music that makes one musician or song better than another. If those sorts of things are intrinsically linked, then it should be the same of morality. I should be able to come up with a base set of rules or a moral code. I don't think it would be agreed upon though.

I believe that killing is wrong. In any way and in any case it is wrong. The world doesn't seem to want to agree with that. Do you value human life or do you not? Do you believe that abortion is okay? Whoa... Now that's a heavy discussion involving more complex issues. Do you accept capital punishment? Most people can probably get behind that idea. Do you accept life imprisonment? How can you if you don't believe in capital punishment. Sure. A person imprisoned is still alive, but what an existence!

There are lot of seemingly grey areas everywhere you look. If there are true moral values then we (humanity) should be able to agree on them. We accept some pretty oddball rules from our government and have trouble keeping to many of the basic tenets of human life. The closest I can come to a good moral code is a few Ten Commandments combined with the golden rule, but I fear that is my christian upbringing getting in the way.

I think the best way to keep in line with a good moral code would be to really embrace empathy. Before you do anything you should ask yourself: "Does this affect anyone else? If it does, will it cause them to be upset? What might it feel like to be that person?" There is too much at stake. I don't want people to be parallized by those questions. Considering other people is fundamental to being in a society. You can only afford to be selfish if you accept that you will not be a part of group. People may accept being manipulated and mistreated, but that is your problem not theirs.