MINDLESS MUSINGS

We’re all basically the same, right? I mean, deep down we’re all good people, right?

Define good.

What does ‘being good’ or ‘doing good’ mean to you?

Heavy shit! Sort of, but I won’t drag you along the philosophical obstacle course too much. I just wanted to point out how so often a ‘simple statement’ is just that; simple. Or oversimplifying I should say.

We’re all basically the same is ridiculous on its own but coupled with the other statement it makes sense. However, the whole statement is so broad it means practically nothing. Without a clear definition of what ‘good’ is we are lost.

. Good as in:

• Above average?
• Correct?
• Well behaved?
• Right?
• Righteous?
• Nice?

And it goes on and on. I am only concerned with demonstrating the myriad of ways a ‘simple’ statement can be interpreted based on just one word. For further bamboozlement look up any debate with Professor Jordan Peterson.

So, you walk down the street feeling secure in your belief that everyone is fundamentally a ‘good person’. You may feel a sudden pang of dread as it dawns on you that many horrible things have been done in the name of the good, or to punish the bad.

Get to the point!

I led you to the edge of the semantic precipice to illustrate the silliness of simplistic explanations. Also, I was hoping the idea of leaping into the abyss would make taking the stairs seem easier.

Most people don’t contemplate life, language and all the rest in that way (when they’re sober anyway). Therefore, we don’t need to get too deep into the quicksand for our task. Instead, how about I throw out a profound sounding quip like “Even subjectivity is subjective”.

I lost my train of thought…

What the hell am I trying to say?

Right! People see the world through more diverse paradigms than we can ever imagine. Yet we’re all the same? How many of the people you interact with on a daily basis do you think would agree on ‘everything’ you believe (that they could know)? How much do we all let slide because it’s ‘no big deal’?

The purpose of these posts is for me to try and understand the ‘system’. The networks we are all in and how we interact. From that perspective it is crucial to understand that people’s idea of what is ‘good’ has a massive effect on the way they think and behave.

I do not wish to go too deep into nationality, race and religion at this point, so I will begin with a basic dichotomy for an example. Two people work side by side every day.

• They like similar movies and TV shows
• They share a dark sense of humour.
• Their music tastes do not align so well
• Nor do their preferred sports.
• They both hate the boss.
• Their ideas on love and sex differ quite a bit.

All that kind of stuff. They get along well and agree to disagree on their differences. One of them believes in God. Not going into a specific religion or definition just yet let’s just say that one of them believes that someone or something created all this and may be:

• Running the show
• Watching, judging and waiting.
• Just watching like kid with an ant farm
• Answering prayers.
• An ancient Greek style deity with emotions and ego
• Etc.

The other half of this pair is a confirmed atheist. We are born, we do stuff and we die – the end. Just because there is so much that science cannot explain doesn’t mean you just plaster the hole with God and all that stuff.

These two could spend their working lives never really having a serious discussion on this topic and they would be fine. They will probably never come across a significant test of their faith either (except maybe in those last moments). Without even consciously considering this enormous divide between them, they would say “we’re pretty similar” and yes, they probably do think and behave much alike in many respects. The thing is why do they?

I could go around this labyrinth for hours and never get bored, but I reckon you might. There are an infinite number of variations on just these two extremes; that’s just on one spectrum and don’t get me started on the various spectrums!

For the theist you’d need to pin down: is this a loving God, a jealous and vengeful God, more than one God, is it omnipotent, omnipresent, male, female or both???

For the atheist there would be questions regarding morality and meaning for a creature living on a rock hurtling through an indifferent universe. These two people may both behave in an ethical manner for completely different reasons. They could also be complete assholes and think they are in the right, or ‘good’.

Now multiply the variables and try and fathom how it applies to an entire population. Think of these characters being higher in the pecking order of power and influence. Think of them in mobs under the spell of groupthink. It boggles the mind!

It boggles my mind anyway. Maybe it just annoys you having to bother thinking about this. If not, please stay tuned.