Tom Desrosier
Much of what we believe about ourselves, our world and our politics, we learned from someone else.
Sometimes, years later, we still cling to this stufff, long after its proven wrong.
Go figure...
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Ethics
“Humanity… So frail, so prone to stumbles and falls.”
Hey, let’s see what’s new in the world this morning…
Hmmm… Governor Spitzer seems to have resigned because he’s been patronizing hookers for the past ten years, this after being so vocal and aggressive in prosecuting them as Attorney General. And here: Hillary Clinton is being accused of using dirty politics and secret backroom deals to seize the Democratic nomination from the more popular Obama. And here: Schwarzenegger’s commuting habits via a private jet is drawing an inevitable ire of global warming zealots.
And so on.
Behold the foibles of humanity parading in review; heads held low, oh, the shame, the shame of it all.
I think I’ll make up some characters and let them opine about these moral issues. Why not. Why not put a touch of humanity to a largely human issue. Otherwise, we have just another lecturing, bloviating and sanctimonious behemoth .
Here goes.
“In all things, play by the rules”
(Ebna)
Ebnar started his day in the same manner I do - at his computer, steaming coffee resting at his elbow ; you know , why not wake up with a little news about the world we live in.
“Tom,” Ebnar nodded in agreement, “there’s really no need to walk outside in the cold to retrieve a paper anymore! Its all about computers these days!”
Listen.
“Hey Ebnar,” I asked matter of factly, (Oh sure, we talk all the time - my creations and I). Don’t you talk to imaginary people too?
“Hey Ebnar, what’s your take on all these ethics issues in the news these days?”
He looked up, not seeing me of course, “Tom, people should be guided by ethics in all things. When they don’t follow the rules, this is the kind of thing that is bound to happen. And its not as if these people didn’t know what the right thing to do was, they simply didn’t care. Tom, the world is full of stuff that guides us - the ten commandments, civil and criminal law, policies at work; even our games are structured and guided by rules! People just need to follow them that’s all.”
He sighed. “Tom, people just need to be more responsible; what’s wrong with doing what you’re told once in a while!”
Thus speaks Ebnar… His ethical beliefs reduced to this: “Do what you’re told.” In its most noble form, a soldier does his duty in a dangerous world. In its most ignoble: two engineers at Chernobyl disobey safety regulations and cause a horrific and world-changing accident.
Do what you’re told…
“Do onto others as you would want done onto you.
That’s the only ethical rule we need.
(Sharon)
Sharon never bothered much with the news; she was far too busy doing stuff for others. Sharon believed utterly in the Golden Rule, and practiced it in her life daily.
“Sharon,” I called.
“Sharon, the governor of New York was caught hiring prostitutes, many think he compromised the public’s trust in him and think this was a horrible moral breakdown, don’t you agree?”
Sharon was rushing around when I peaked in on her - feeding the hungry at a local soup kitchen. She paused, wiping a moist brow with a soiled dish rag.
“Tom, this is what’s wrong with society - we’re all so quick to criticize and condemn; we all rush to judgment and admonishment. Let someone far more perfect than me cast the first stone; I think the poor man just needs a hug. Ater all, being embarrassed by all this mean-spirited press, all because of set-back; set backs we all have. That poor, dear man.”
“But, but, but… ” I blurted out somewhat exasperated. “Don’t you see how damaging his actions were to America.”
“Oh, my poor, misguided creator…” She answered soothingly, “Do you need a hug too?”
And so on.
Jesus, Ghandi, Mother Theresa… A moral high ground undisputed when emerging from a pure heart. But the quiet guy who massacre’s his coworkers, when proffered through ego’s hurt feelings.
“You really need to apply ethics in the proper context.”
(Geoff)
Geoff also read the news each morning…
Attend.
“Tom, the world is not black and white, and these self-righteous fanatics who keep trying to make it so are what’s so destructive about America! ”
“Look,” he pointed with disapproval to an article about a top Admiral retiring because of apparent disagreements over Iran…
“Tom, here’s a guy whose applying a black and white ethics to an ambiguous world and now finding himself out of a job. If he were smart, he’d just go with the flow; he’d be doing far more good that way. So what if he disagrees; so what if his conscience is bothering him; so what if he thinks people would be killed needlessly - he just needs to shut up and work the systems.”
“Let your conscience be your guide? Let your conscience be your undoing!” Yeah, Geoff certainly had something to say about this one.
“And those ready to hang Governor Spitzer; we should ask ourselves this: If an airplane pilot was superbly capable of handling his plane, would we fire him because he hired a prostitute on a lonely night in Detroit? I think not.”
Geoff shook his head in wonderment… “Tom, people need to see the big picture and stop all this nonsense.”
And so Geoff believed: base your decisions, not on such misguided notions as rules, laws, conscience, but on a far more satisfying standard: Outcome. Yes, the results justify the means in Geoff’s ethical world.
The ethics of getting the impossible done: Our founding fathers finding compromise and drafting the constitution… Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Bin Laden - finding an easy justification for the large-scale murder and destruction.
“I wish it were that easy:
How each of resolves an ethical dilemma.”
Ahh, three points of view, three journeys, three means of solving humanity’s most perplexing problem: how to do the right thing. Some overly identify with rules, or its opposite, rebel continuously against such notions, with an ensuing mediocrity or worse. Some follow blindly, the golden rule, in a world of wolves; becoming easy prey for those around them. And finally, and most dangerous, there are those who apply a loose, situational ethic to all their endeavors, feeling empowered to lie, steal, cheat or harm in pursuit of a perceived lofty goal. Every monster we have ever known, proceeds from such as these.
But of course humanity is nothing if not ever undulating shades of gray. Perhaps we taint an otherwise ethical dilemma with greed, with self-righteousness, or with varied complexities of self worth. Perhaps we make the wrong decision because we fail to see the situation clearly, clouded as it always is with emotion.
Indeed…
And so, our imperfect and often ambiguous humanity. If it were easy; if the answers were pat, would it be worth the journey?
***
Tom
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That’s Life
I was listening to Janis Joplin last night. I don’t know, sometimes I’ll listen to music while I cruise the Web or while I’m writing.
Anyway, I was struck again by how intense Janis Joplin sang. Its like each song was her last one. Heavy, thick, with the lust of her; with her emotion, there was no doubt that when Janis sang, that’s pretty much all she was doing. Yes, she threw everything into that moment.
Everything she was.
Here’s a sample.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JjD4eWEUgMM&feature=related
Know what I mean? She really sings her guts out.
Others on the other hand, might be less intense but far more prolific - the proverbial tortoise and the hare… Yeah, one produces quick, intense bursts, while the other, albeit less intensely, produces far more consistently.
Take Rob Patterson - I truley admire him. Rob maintains one of the most interesting blogs on the web. What I like most about Rob is the breadth of his knowledge and his commitment to writing about it. No, not dripping with intense emotion, but a good steady hand, that continuously delivers valuable and thought provoking content.
http://www.smartpei.typepad.com/
Get the idea?
I know, get to the point already!
Look - I was was recently on a writing forum where people were lamenting about how they were chock full of story ideas, but after writing a few pages, quickly lost the muse. I have a similar condition - my writing is short, hopefully emotionally intense, but then I must stop because the inspiration is simply used up.
Not in Janis’ league, but perhaps in her vein.
Some are born with Rob’s knack - long range runners as it were, and some with Janis’ - sprinters.
That’s life. No sense lamenting about it.
Tom
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