April 30, 2008

understanding right from wrong


"The mind decides in one way or another, despite itself, and prefers being mistaken to believing in nothing."
Rousseau, The Profession of Faith of the Savoyard Vicar

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right or wrong. . . who sets the rule?
who determines what is right and what is wrong? is the concept a mere personal opinion?

is this resolved by making a choice?this concept governs us everyday. the world defines a better or a nice person if one does the right deed, say the right word or choose or decide the right thing. everything should be right to make this world a great place to live in. life has to steer towards virtues, values and morality. so in order to gain acceptance in the society it's a must to do everything right. yet still some prefer to stay in the other side of the road because for them, what they do conform to their beliefs and principles.

we exist in an immense moral structure that holds our perceptions. the concept may only have two options yet very extensive that we are often perplexed whether or not to find its sense within the values we set for themselves or from a set of conventional morality. we continue to grope for the truth and perhaps, often question ourselves. . . is there an authentic right and wrong? can we say that right and wrong are universal truths?

as for me, i continue to live my life on a ground created for me by my parents, by my faith and by the society where i belong and by the experiences i gained and people i met through the years. i take and digest matters that only conforms to my systems and values. and, whatever conforms, i remain to filter what i can do and what i cannot do and what can make me happy and comfortable. i live my life depending on what matters to me at a certain moment or what i consider is essential to get through the day, months or years. what are right to me are things that i fully understand. wrong if i find it confusing. right is what i hold as absolute ideals, wrong if it is otherwise.

this is the simplest explanation i could think of. i could expound more tho on the concept but i'd rather leave some for you to mull over.

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