Right and Wrong

Knowing and doing right and wrong are vastly different things. Sad but true. In the modern age I suspect more people do right more than wrong. My hunch is a greater number of our fellow citizens simply do not know what is right and wrong. Why is that? Why is it so difficult to know right from wrong? If you can do right rather than wrong, what do you suppose causes this disconnect?

I am not certain I understand this well enough to write about it. I am uncomfortable about the reality of the disconnect to write about it, however, here goes.

First, I think most people struggle to find their own identify, then purpose to follow, then relationships that fulfill biological imperatives (sex!), building family, continue pursuing purpose to a higher calling. All of this takes effort, time and discipline to think things through. Most young people don’t have the latter. So, right and wrong are situational. Faced with a decision to act or not to act in a specific situation often calls us to do right. Whether we do or not automatically results in the ‘wrong’ action.

Second, over time people come aware of life’s moral issues. Usually this is brought on by hard challenges to face. Looking back from that vantage point we learn what we did in the past that was most likely wrong. Life does have its comeuppances.

Third, deciding on anything has collateral costs. Often, we are motivated to avoid the costs without thinking how wrong adds up to some horrendous costs eventually. Easy answers are often not the most cost-effective answers. To fix the local bridge today or 3 years from now might save money today, but the repair 3 years from now will be more expensive. Add to that the cost of a tragedy if the bridge fails and people are injured or killed. What is the cost of replacing the bridge at that point as well?

Fourth, most decisions rely on many perspectives and variables. All need consideration if we are to make the right decision. It takes effort to do this. Many people refuse to invest such effort. The down and dirty decision is usually made in such circumstances.

Fifth, decisions are accumulative for each of us (a growing impact of past decisions leading up to today); but accumulations are growing with decisions made by others that clutter up our community landscape. We are not the only individuals making decisions. Our culture is greatly interdependent. What you do affects me at some point. Take 100,000 people doing the same in a small or medium city what have you got? Complexity. How do we logically sift through the chaos to find the best options?

Well, I’ll stop here. The point has been made.  Morality is not singular. Decision making impacts more than one life. It takes concentration, time and discipline to live consciously, to be present in the real world.

I think we need to pause and consider this seriously. We have many important decisions to make that will impact the future of humanity. Invest that time. Now. We may not have another opportunity.

March 9, 2022