Ethics is YOU

November 17, 2019 Morality No Comments

That is: eventually and with all relevant support.

Different kinds of ethics

Some see the basis of ethics in a general principle: “Do to others as you want that others do to you.”

Others see it in some kind of authority: “The ten commandments.”

Others see it in an agreement between humans: “Human rights.”

These are horizontal ethics. There are more kinds and many instances of them.

I see ethics as vertical.

In-depth.

Your depth.

This is compatible with the ‘five Aurelian values’ as I like to describe them [see: ‘Five Aurelian Values’]. For instance, Openness is open to the total person. At first, yourself.

There is nothing wrong with ethics pointing to yourself if it’s your total self.

You fill your bucket until it overflows.

The latter happens spontaneously. The result is that you ‘give yourself to the world.’ You do good not beside yourself, but through yourself.

This is also in the interest of the one(s) to whom you are ethical. If it goes through you, you are better able to discern real needs, in deep to deep communication [see: “Deep Listening”].

It’s also the most durable way. You don’t lose yourself in the act. You don’t push your own energy (deep motivation) away from your self. You don’t risk any burnout soon.

Probably even the opposite. It approaches the conditions for ‘flow.’ These are mainly the conditions in which

you are meaningful.

Being meaningful is probably the biggest motivator, the major possible source of ‘flow’, the best antidote against a feeling of, well, a lack of meaningfulness.

Which may just be another term for depression.

Which may just be – more or less, in specific circumstances – another term for burnout.

Vertical is not enough

as a road towards a morally good ethical stance. It’s not something like “be vertical and do whatever pleases you.”

That would be naïve.

Humans need a lot of support in this. However, not support such as ten (or six hundred) precepts… which moreover may lead after a while to much frustration and an empty bucket.

According to me, the best support is Compassion

[see: “Two-Sided Compassion”].

Others can support you. You can support others. You can support yourself.

Nothing is perfect. It can always be better.

It’s always OK as long as you strive.

 

Leave a Reply

Related Posts

Lady Justice’s Blindfold

Will in the future all criminals be seen as in need of coaching rather than punishment? Lady Justice, also known as Themis in ancient Greece As a goddess, she didn’t need a blindfold. She could see everything anyway. Themis also didn’t have a sword (of punishment). Both were added in the 15th century. The blindfold Read the full article…

Are People Intrinsically Good or Bad?

This is, of course, one of the most important ethical questions that have ever been asked and never satisfactorily answered. Please read ‘Neuroscience Meets Morality.’ The present blog is a continuation of that in the form of an unedited dialogue between Lisa and me. Note that this is not an interview. It’s also not a Read the full article…

Moral Motivation

If morality doesn’t lead to action, then what’s the use? Let good people do good things. How? I guess the doing should not be the focus of an additional endeavor. It should be part and parcel of the moral communication itself. For instance, telling a child what is moral behavior, should deeply touch the child Read the full article…

Translate »