The next right thing
One of the core rules for life which I think I learned as child was that one did the next right thing because it was the right thing to do. I also seemed to have learned:
I am hard pressed to say which of these adopted truths came from my parents, teachers, other relatives, authors I read, pastors/theologians or others. I just know that at an early age I seemed to have strong feelings and opinions about what behavior was right and what was wrong. I have, for example, previously written about my first experience in using racism to avoid punishment for something I did at age 5. I immediately “knew” I had done something very wrong. Guilt and shame pressed down on me for many years.
Although I was a member of the United States Navy for 4 years and am today very grateful for veteran health benefits, I never did understand why killing was a moral or effective way to stop killing. As a mental health provider, I certainly, as an adult, understand that it is necessary to restrain those whose minds are incapable (temporarily or permanently) of considering the needs of others. The restrain has to be done with love and respect.
I am reading Georgia Hunter’s novel We Were the Lucky Ones which is based on the experiences of a real family during the horrible atrocities committed during WWII. It is not difficult to justify the use of violence to stop the extermination of millions of people merely because they were deemed to be of a certain religion, sexual orientation, mental status, possessed of a certain intelligence or otherwise undesirable characteristics or history. Historians such a Vera Brittan remind one that if one wants to truly understand WWII one must look at post WWI behavior of the Allies and if one wants to understand WWI one must study history prior to that war.
I would like to believe that humans can figure out a way to live together which honors the sacredness of all of life while accepting and dealing with the strengths and limitations of all of us. Although it may seem as if humans have made no progress in that direction, statistical evidence is that worldwide violence has greatly decreased in recent decades. We can, I believe, do even better.
Fortunately, we live in a time when we have ways to stop violence without resorting to the use of weapons which are usually lethal. (Even stunt guns can, on occasion, result in death but far less often then bullets designed to kill.) Unfortunately, we have yet to quit justifying the use of lethal force. We have not, as a race of people agreed that there are alternative to violence, that there are no evil people or that punishment negatively affects all of us and does nothing to create a more just, safer community. We have also not accepted that short term gratification or benefits do not outweigh the benefits of doing the next right thing because it is the next right thing to do.
If one allows for option A often one might not think of or discover option B. Two recent example are:
It would seem that the ethical or moral rule de jour is:
It is not my intention in this brief blog to state what is moral, just or the right thing to do. It is my intention to suggest that these sorts of debates or discussions should be taking place at every level of education. We need to give children the tools they need to ask and debate the really tough questions which face humans every day. We need to know or decide if there are any behaviors which are right, moral, ethical and just for all of us? Is there any behavior which is right just because it is right?
Written October 15, 2018
One of the core rules for life which I think I learned as child was that one did the next right thing because it was the right thing to do. I also seemed to have learned:
- Good people often disagree about what is right or wrong, moral or immoral, ethical or unethical.
- The only thing one owns is one’s integrity. It cannot be taken away from one, but one can choose to give it away.
- One must decide what is right, moral or ethical while staying open to new information which could affect one’s opinion.
- Life is very brief. Do all with love.
- Always give thanks to animals and plants for providing substance.
- Only take what you need and leave the rest for others.
- All human life is sacred.
- Lead by example
- Two wrongs do not make a right.
- Do unto other what you would have them do unto you.
I am hard pressed to say which of these adopted truths came from my parents, teachers, other relatives, authors I read, pastors/theologians or others. I just know that at an early age I seemed to have strong feelings and opinions about what behavior was right and what was wrong. I have, for example, previously written about my first experience in using racism to avoid punishment for something I did at age 5. I immediately “knew” I had done something very wrong. Guilt and shame pressed down on me for many years.
Although I was a member of the United States Navy for 4 years and am today very grateful for veteran health benefits, I never did understand why killing was a moral or effective way to stop killing. As a mental health provider, I certainly, as an adult, understand that it is necessary to restrain those whose minds are incapable (temporarily or permanently) of considering the needs of others. The restrain has to be done with love and respect.
I am reading Georgia Hunter’s novel We Were the Lucky Ones which is based on the experiences of a real family during the horrible atrocities committed during WWII. It is not difficult to justify the use of violence to stop the extermination of millions of people merely because they were deemed to be of a certain religion, sexual orientation, mental status, possessed of a certain intelligence or otherwise undesirable characteristics or history. Historians such a Vera Brittan remind one that if one wants to truly understand WWII one must look at post WWI behavior of the Allies and if one wants to understand WWI one must study history prior to that war.
I would like to believe that humans can figure out a way to live together which honors the sacredness of all of life while accepting and dealing with the strengths and limitations of all of us. Although it may seem as if humans have made no progress in that direction, statistical evidence is that worldwide violence has greatly decreased in recent decades. We can, I believe, do even better.
Fortunately, we live in a time when we have ways to stop violence without resorting to the use of weapons which are usually lethal. (Even stunt guns can, on occasion, result in death but far less often then bullets designed to kill.) Unfortunately, we have yet to quit justifying the use of lethal force. We have not, as a race of people agreed that there are alternative to violence, that there are no evil people or that punishment negatively affects all of us and does nothing to create a more just, safer community. We have also not accepted that short term gratification or benefits do not outweigh the benefits of doing the next right thing because it is the next right thing to do.
If one allows for option A often one might not think of or discover option B. Two recent example are:
- President Trump stating that no matter what the leaders of Saudi Arabia are doing in Yemen or might have done with a journalist who was critical of the Saudi regime, the United States cannot afford to give up the manufacturing jobs created as a result of selling arms to the Saudi Arabia government. See Alexander Bolton’s article of 10/13/18 entitled “Trump Defends 110 Billion U. S. Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia” (thehill.com)
- The decision by some states and school districts to arm trained teachers in the public schools.
It would seem that the ethical or moral rule de jour is:
- If one is providing enough employment the product is immaterial. Could this argument be used to support drug cartels, child pornography, or other products for which we now kill or imprison people. Clearly there are many business enterprises which employ a number of individuals.
- If a person or persons are in danger or believe that they are in danger, then it is okay to use lethal force. The same argument seems to be used by legitimate and rogue government officials. Both may believe that they are called by the God of their understanding to kill the bad person.
It is not my intention in this brief blog to state what is moral, just or the right thing to do. It is my intention to suggest that these sorts of debates or discussions should be taking place at every level of education. We need to give children the tools they need to ask and debate the really tough questions which face humans every day. We need to know or decide if there are any behaviors which are right, moral, ethical and just for all of us? Is there any behavior which is right just because it is right?
Written October 15, 2018
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