Rules. Put in place by the powers that be. Put there to help guide us towards what society feels is right. Then why do we find breaking them so much more satisfactory than following them? Have the rules lost their relevance? Or have we lost our sense of right and wrong?
In life, there are certain things a person must never do. Killing another person is an extreme example of this, but others include: stealing something, telling a lie, disobeying your parents or cheating on your loved one. The truth is, there is an encyclopedia worth of things you shouldn't do. Still, each and every one of us has broken one of these rules at one point or another. But what exactly tempts us to do such a wreckless act?
Are we just simple branches getting swept away by the powerful gusts of wind or do we bend, but not break? And if we break, does that mean we're weak?
I'm not the spokesperson for morality and obediance, so I'm not going to start preaching about what is right and wrong, because essentially, that distinction is highly subjective. To one person, kissing is a form of cheating. Stealing food because you'll otherwise starve isn't considered stealing to another. If we must draw a line between right and wrong and good and evil, surely, it must be in our heads. It must be a mental divide that keeps us in check.
No matter how hard society lays down the rules, there will always be those eager to break them. That is the paradox of rules: there needs to be chaos before order can be imposed.
But if rules are always broken, can there ever be peace? Does such a thing exist? For the better part of your reasoning, peace will always be found in personal justifications. Your own version of sugarcoating the truth.
It seems that the majority of morals are locked within the confines of our minds. Good, as well as evil, is what me make of it. We reshape the two in order to fit our needs, not the other way around. Perhaps therein lies the danger, because how do we know for sure that what we've done is purely altruistic and not selfish when we're the ones making the rules?
How can we be sure we're doing the right thing?
1 comment:
I've always found it's best to go with your gut feeling: give it a thought, and if you sincerely think something's right to do, go ahead. If not, don't. Just don't lie to yourself! ;)
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