[lit-ideas] Re: FW: Re: gashlycrumb tinies
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 31 Jul 2005 12:37:32 EDT
In a message dated 7/30/2005 5:01:29 PM Central Daylight Time,
aamago@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
The golden rule is a wonderful
theoretical construct. In reality it has to be forced onto the species.
Dear Andy,
Perhaps the concept of the study of the moral law within being wondrous has
to do more with the term 'study' rather than that of 'moral law'.
Perhaps those you state who do not follow standards of caring for The Other
are those who have done little (or no <wry look>) study of the moral law
which is buried deep within them.
Perhaps your frustration with those in positions whereby change for the
betterment of The Other comes from you being aware of 'the inner moral law'
which
is there and of which you follow (I really do doubt that the only reason
that you, or any of those of us on Our List, care for The Other is because
we'll
be whacked one side of the head by police or someone 'watching' us [much as I
would like to be that person -- sometimes <g>])
Sometimes living within the tension of the opposites is what leads to a
frustration. Here we see (in some) and know (from our ownselves) what 'ought'
to
be [inner moral law] and some of us know more than others--thus the concept
of learning more and more about it. Seeing those who just won't bother to do
so or who those who have touched upon the edge of it but no more leads to a
'why are you doing this-and-that' [i.e. the edge of The Golden Rule could
even have the concept of taking care of oneself...which is something that some
of us needed to remember who have, at times, focused more on the edge of
taking care of the neighbor *rather than* ourselves and crashed and burned
because
of it. It's not always a 'bad' thing to take care of oneself and those one
loves rather than sacrificing oneself or those one loves for the sake of the
Other. If, however, one forgets to take care of The Other--then we have the
meanness [and worse] that is seen. If we only go to the edge of that 'moral
law' (either edge) and do not hold that tension of the opposite, then we have
the lack of balance, freedom, sweetness that we all long to see flowing
along each and every life in this world. (or, at least, those of us [most on
this
list, anyway], who are digging deep and who have souls which are screaming
when we see/hear of the pain of The Other.)
Of course, that presupposes that the moral law is, really, the Golden
Rule--for if could be, possibly, something even more deep and possibly slightly
different...I'm not done studying yet, so I have no answer...
Just because there IS a moral law within does NOT mean that all actually
study it. Or even go beyond the edges of it.
But, if one does--perhaps it is that inside work which becomes a wondrous
activity and study.
(and, sometimes yelling at people to dig deep works and sometimes it does
not. How, I wonder, could people who do not dig deep to study the internal
moral
code be persuaded to do so? In what manner would they receive such
information? Would one have to use words of self-interest? Would one use
indirect
methods? Is it important to even try? Why or why not?)
All of this leads one to going deep in all aspects--for I think of our
conversations on the concept of 'sacrifice'--thinking of Julie's thought of the
astronauts who think (and some state so in the Astronauts' Hall of Fame at the
Kennedy Space Center) that exploration of space is worth even the sacrifice of
their lives, if necessary. But, if they left behind a four-year old
child...would that child think it was worth it? How would one explain such a
father/mother's passion for space exploration which took that life...to a
child?
Those in law enforcement/fire prevention also deal with such
tensions--especially when they choose to have a family. What moral law do
they follow? That
of assisting helping society as a 'whole'--or their personal
spouse/child/etc.? What sort of moral code would allow that person to
sacrifice one's own
life which needs to be 'there' in order to have one's child grow up as healthy
as possible? But, what happens to society, as a whole, if no one is 'there'
to assist in accidents or research or other important societal situations?
Such is the side of the moral code that I am engaged within studying, at
this time. There are, I know, other sides to study...
But, most people that I know do not like to go that deep. Some
instinctively follow and hold the tension of these opposites--and others do
not. Some
alternate. Most that I know don't like to think too deeply--and others are
just
now beginning. (One of the men at scout camp has begun to read Plato--and
wanted to talk about it to lots of people <g>. It was fun to see people's
reaction ... )
Living in the tension of the opposites (even within a moral code),
Marlena in Missouri
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