NationStates Jolt Archive

so, I was thinking today, how morally bankrupt I may look to some people, in fact, also, and as well (I am in a redundant mood today) how morally bankrupt many of you look to me every day.

so, for fun, what's the worst moral decision you have made today? (using someone else's morals as a guidepost)

and what's the most hypocritical decision you have made today? (using your own morals as a guide post)

and what do you think about morals/ethics in general? are they absolutes? are some of them absolutes and some not? is everything subjective?

I will post in a few minutes, I am about to leave, but you know have fun while I am gone!

I'm a lawyer....do we really want to go down the list of morally bankrupt things I've done?

Most debates these days are so morally charged that one's compass cannot but sit and spin :(

Errmm...I uh...didn't pray?

Oh, I know. I got my little sister to behave through pinching. People hate that, for some reason...

Hypocritical....hrmmm...Hard to say, as the whole morals thing with me is a bit more...complex.

Can't really answer. I have honestly not done anything of note today aside from wake up, go get lunch, drop some books off at the library, and now sit around on NSG.

I suppose in a way the idleness of being on NSG and playing Homeworld 2 is immoral to some workaholics who feel that if you're not working productively 24/7 you are wasting your life, but...well...they're going to lead materially fulfilling and emotionally and mentally bankrupt lives as unintellectual working bees, so what do I care?

I'm a lawyer....do we really want to go down the list of morally bankrupt things I've done?

yes!

yes!

hah, well, in most instances, I am under contractual obligations not to discuss the details.

Let's just say...on more than one occassion, I've found ways to help companies avoid spending millions of dollars that they probably should have.

Most immoral decision: Waking up.

Oh, by other's standards, hmm...probably leaving about half a plate and a hotdog on my tray when I left the dining hall.

Hypocritical decision: Posting on NS. I told myself I was going to finish this paper...somehow it never seems to get off the first page...

Morals and ethics are entirely subjective, and entirely arbitrary.

so, for fun, what's the worst moral decision you have made today? (using someone else's morals as a guidepost)

Cursed? *shrugs*
and what's the most hypocritical decision you have made today? (using your own morals as a guide post)
No idea.
and what do you think about morals/ethics in general? are they absolutes? are some of them absolutes and some not? is everything subjective?
Everyone has their own set of morals. It's the people who use common sense that are the wise ones.
but you know have fun while I am gone!
You wont be here, so of course we'll be having fun! ;)

Today? I haven't really done much today, writing essays and studying for exams.
I suppose I've spent an innordinate amount of time on NS and writing frivolously, which would go down as sloth in certain minds.

Morality is a pointless excercise as it assumes that I should care about people just because they happen to be alive.

hah, well, in most instances, I am under contractual obligations not to discuss the details.

Let's just say...on more than one occassion, I've found ways to help companies avoid spending millions of dollars that they probably should have.

Hmm, what kind of lawyer are you and what are your rates, and how soon can I hire you for my personal lawyer?

Hmm, what kind of lawyer are you and what are your rates, and how soon can I hire you for my personal lawyer?

for typical corporate clients I am billed at 250 an hour.

for typical corporate clients I am billed at 250 an hour.

I think I'll just go with a tax lawyer.

I think I'll just go with a tax lawyer.

most private, non business owning individuals wouldn't even need a tax lawyer, an account should do fine. Tax lawyers are usually reserved for large companies, business owners, or people with significant incomes.

Erm... erm... not a single thing, really.
Well, now that I think of it, I had chicken for dinner. My boyfriend (a convince vegetarian) would probably consider that slightly morally bankrupt. Other than that... nothing.

most private, non business owning individuals wouldn't even need a tax lawyer, an account should do fine. Tax lawyers are usually reserved for large companies, business owners, or people with significant incomes.

How competitive is the legal business, really?

I have 3 friends who are all going into Law School, and I'm half convinced they're going to end up working at Walmart.

i woke up at 11am today and didn't get out of bed til nearly 5pm.

i am still living in a flat that my parents pay the rent for, despite finding inheritance morally wrong. i do intend to pay them back, someday, if i ever earn a decent wage.

i feel dirty.

I got road rage (which, for me, just means I get really upset and start badmouthing at least half the other people on the road). It's something I've tried to work on, but when I have a bad day or hit traffic when I'm not expecting it.....

Hypocritical - Hmmmm, I'm not sure. I came home to work at home and instead got worked up over a check that I thought was missing (but apparently never actually existed) for like an hour.

In fact, I've been getting way too worked up over little things today. I must be PMSing.

How competitive is the legal business, really?

I have 3 friends who are all going into Law School, and I'm half convinced they're going to end up working at Walmart.

lawyers can generally get a job. What lawschool?

As for other people's moral, Sloth, Lotsa that.

As for my own, I prefer a low impact life (laid-back). After all we're having an energy crisis:p , but I find myself driving off nowere to avoid confrontation...... I feel like eating icecream now:(

I don't really think I made any moral decisions today. I went to work and came home.

I can review my week if you like?


immoral with respect to someone else's morals: well, I had sex with my bf earlier this week... since we're not married that would be immoral according to some people.
immoral with respect to my beliefs: I've been somewhat judgemental about other people lately. Although the more I think about the snap judgements I make the more I think that I don't understand the situation another person is in and I rethink it... so perhaps that's not really the same.

I don't really think that morals are quite objective. I mean, as a species we have certain actions that are considered immoral because they harm societies which we as a species require to survive (individual humans in the wilderness = generally bad) so certain things such as not killing other people or stealing from them and all are generally required to keep order and to allow people to live together in some form of harmony, so in that sense one could regard what is morally bad as what is directly harmful to society... but that's probably not the best way to define it.
At any rate, I just try to be nice to other people generally.

so, for fun, what's the worst moral decision you have made today? (using someone else's morals as a guidepost)
I... uhm... am going to lie in the next answer!
and what's the most hypocritical decision you have made today? (using your own morals as a guide post)
I lied about lying in this next answer in the last answer.
and what do you think about morals/ethics in general? are they absolutes? are some of them absolutes and some not? is everything subjective?

I'll get back to you when I undestand the question?

so, for fun, what's the worst moral decision you have made today? (using someone else's morals as a guidepost)
today, I was pretty disrespectful to my mom (although I don't think she is really deserving of respect, but there are those who think "she is your mom so you have to respect her")

and what's the most hypocritical decision you have made today? (using your own morals as a guide post)
I have decided to skip out on mostly all of my responsibilities for the rest of the week, for no good reason either.

and what do you think about morals/ethics in general? are they absolutes? are some of them absolutes and some not? is everything subjective?
I think most things are objective, and I think a lot of people try to make their preferences into moral standings, and that's where most of the subjective crap comes from.

Oops. I missed this question:

"and what do you think about morals/ethics in general? are they absolutes? are some of them absolutes and some not? is everything subjective?"

I think that morals and ethics, when you really get down to it, are absolute - objective, if you will. There is a right action to take in any given situation.

However, I think that human beings are fallible. We make mistakes. None of us know those absolutes, so the best we can do is to try and meet them. And because our knowledge is dependent upon our own perception and experience, we will disagree on what those absolutes are - hence the subjective nature of morals/ethics.

I also think that, to try and find the moral or ethical absolute to any question, the question has to be very, very specific. A question like "Is it wrong to kill?" doesn't have an absolute answer. A question like, "Is it wrong to kill a person because he stole your baseball card when you were three?" probably does.

Oops. I missed this question:

"and what do you think about morals/ethics in general? are they absolutes? are some of them absolutes and some not? is everything subjective?"

I think that morals and ethics, when you really get down to it, are absolute - objective, if you will. There is a right action to take in any given situation.

However, I think that human beings are fallible. We make mistakes. None of us know those absolutes, so the best we can do is to try and meet them. And because our knowledge is dependent upon our own perception and experience, we will disagree on what those absolutes are - hence the subjective nature of morals/ethics.

I also think that, to try and find the moral or ethical absolute to any question, the question has to be very, very specific. A question like "Is it wrong to kill?" doesn't have an absolute answer. A question like, "Is it wrong to kill a person because he stole your baseball card when you were three?" probably does.

I think I can agree with that. I was always in murky water explaining my absolutes, but when you get down to it, the details really do make a difference.

Oops. I missed this question:

"and what do you think about morals/ethics in general? are they absolutes? are some of them absolutes and some not? is everything subjective?"

I think that morals and ethics, when you really get down to it, are absolute - objective, if you will. There is a right action to take in any given situation.

However, I think that human beings are fallible. We make mistakes. None of us know those absolutes, so the best we can do is to try and meet them. And because our knowledge is dependent upon our own perception and experience, we will disagree on what those absolutes are - hence the subjective nature of morals/ethics.

I also think that, to try and find the moral or ethical absolute to any question, the question has to be very, very specific. A question like "Is it wrong to kill?" doesn't have an absolute answer. A question like, "Is it wrong to kill a person because he stole your baseball card when you were three?" probably does.

You are being very positivistic of late Dem. What with objective morals and deterministic physics. But you are entitled to your opinions (as always).

What have I done today that would break someone else's moral code? Well I drove to work instead of taking the train, that might be seen as being selfish and profligate by some. Other than that I can't really think of anything.

What have I done that is hypocritical? Nothing, I think. As my moral code is very minimal, and basically involves not hurting others unnecessarily, and, as far as I know I haven't hurt anyone today, it would appear that I have not broken my moral code.

Now for the biggy. Are morals subjective or objective? How about an answer of - neither. Morals are part of our way of dealing with the world. They our value judgments that we make of our actions and of the actions of others. Now value is in part subjective, but those aspects of value that are subjective we tend not to think of as being moral values. They are more personal preferences or tastes. However the values that we do base our moral judgments on are not external to us. They are those values that are part of what it is to be a human being. They are the behaviours that are conducive to society forming and functioning, they are the things that we would like to receive from others or would find useful in others.

So morals are based on natural values. But these natural values are only natural to us as homo sapiens. They are not right and wrong as functions of the universe or some external will, they are right and wrong because they work, or do not work in our society.

I hope that made some kind of sense.

You are being very positivistic of late Dem. What with objective morals and deterministic physics. But you are entitled to your opinions (as always).

=)

Well, I believe in objective morals because of my religion. I believe that there is an absolute arbiter of good and evil (God), so there are thus absolute morals.

I see all things in science (and the workings of the universe) as deterministic largely because I think that the scientific method is one of the best sources of knowledge we have - and it relies upon the assumption of determinism. That, and I've seen no evidence of true randomness in the universe. =)

*snip*
I hope that made some kind of sense.

I think it did. So would you say that so-called "moral" viewpoints that are not universal - at least to all known societies, I'm sure there are always individual exceptions - are not actually a matter of morality?

=)
I think it did. So would you say that so-called "moral" viewpoints that are not universal - at least to all known societies, I'm sure there are always individual exceptions - are not actually a matter of morality?

There are two possibilities for non universal moral positions:
1) Alternative solutions to the same problem set. Matriarchal and patriarchal societies have arrived at different solutions to the problems of attributing responsibility, authority and the inheritance of material goods. Individuals within a society may well find that the established pattern of solutions are not satisfactory to them, as individuals, and seek alternatives to these societal norms.
2) The issue under consideration is not actually a moral issue. It may be a religious or faith based issue, it may be a social or political issue, but it is not one that affect the viability of the society.