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Politics : Sharks in the Septic Tank -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: TimF who wrote (35388)	10/25/2001 1:35:21 PM
From: Solon	Respond to of 82486

But if all of ethics is relative is not responsibility relative as well Of course. You are not required (forced) to have any particular relatonship with your planet (other than what is required forcibly from you by others, or by virtue of social contract). My own sense of responsibility to self is predicated upon the values I believe in. I am the only person on the planet with these particular beliefs--although many people hold strikingly similar ones. This just goes to show how very different, and alike, members of a particular species may be. Where co-operation is a major value in fulfilling the self interests of individuals as they seek joy, peace of mind, freedom from fear, and other such common and prevalent values...one is not surprised to find huge social sections of the human race pulling in the same direction. You don't plow a field by hitching horses in opposite directions. No plowing, no food; no food, no kisses. anyone holding you accountable is just imposing their values (which can't be said to be better then yours) on you? Yes. Anyone holding me accountable where we disagree (i.e. outside of our social contract, and the rules, regulations, and laws we conduct our affairs under), would be attempting to impose their values upon me. If I disagree within the social contract, the majority will still attempt to impose their values upon me (or, at the least, punish me for mine). Indeed, sometimes one must be careful even when sharing their opinions. Of course, the right to think IS the right to disagree; but it is usually impractical to disagree with someone holding a gun against your head. People are forever imposing values on one another. I, of course, participate in this social cleansing as I support law enforcement, incarceration, etc.--even when I do not consider these to be perfectly expressed (which is at all times). The society I have chosen to live in is a society whose values I can tolerate and partially support--so everything works out rather nicely. Society is a type of small "a" absolutism. It draws lines; it sets boundaries. It defines collective policy and purpose. It defines the right, the wrong--the friend and the enemy. As a question of practicality, most of us defer some values to the power of the state. Most of us do not like being locked up, or dead. Of course, it is relative: Some people think being dead is having sexual pleasure and fresh water. Such people would have no problem attempting to impose their values: as the only deterence would be imaginary rather than real. Unfortunately, this world is just not good enough for some...