Without a bedrock of moral foundation the individual will simply steer their moral view to that which provides them the most personal benefits… and selfishness greed prevails. Then as selfish greed demonstrates good returns, the moral foundation is corrupted to incorporate those behaviors that generate selfish returns. The desired ends always justify the means.
It is the ubiquitous race to the moral bottom, even as material gains are appropriated.
Without any material adverse consequences, the bad character behavior is replicated and mainstreamed as the new morality.
I believe that our national morality started to decline the day after President Bill Clinton, the leader of the free world, sat there on national TV and told a bald faced lie that he did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinski. He basically told the world that any behavior can be considered morally right if you can get away with it.
Character, in my view, is identified not by the superficial stuff (e.g., mean Tweets); but the substantive indication that a person routinely pursues their own selfish wants in a way that causes material harm to others… and they know this but continue to justify their behavior.
I agree, Frank. Back in those days I was still wallowing in the leftist fog and I thought Bill was "just fooling around" because he was stuck with Hillary and he had all kinds of women throwing themselves at him. Thank God I soon after grew up and out of that delusion. His actions and slick, prevaricating talk, like Barak's, has permanently degraded the moral character of our country in profound and long lasting ways that we see ripples of everyday now.
Very well said, John. Character matters for the individual, as you so eloquently state, but it matters in business, and in society. Our republic in particular, and western civilization in general, depend on the high trust, moral man.
Thanks for this essay, John. I tend to ignore what I consider heathen philosophy because some people switch from Biblical truth to man's philosophy, and that could be eternally bad. But this view of Karma seems to be safe and helpful, because it talks about how doing the right thing usually gives you good results that don't hurt other people in the process. I have to remember this when I listen to clips from Chuck Schumer and want nothing more than to take a ballbat to him. I won't ever do that, but his demonic lies are so dangerous and so infuriating that I wish that I could. I sincerely believe that judgment day will come, and people who do evil- and try to convince others to do the same- will get the reward they deserve, while people who acted with peaceful restraint will be rewarded at their judgment. God sees, and He will set things right in His time.
At the time it really hurts to hear that the answer to your prayers is "No." You "know" God is being mean and cruel in denying your heart's desire. Only with time- often many years later- do you realize "oh, so that's why He said No..."
Without a bedrock of moral foundation the individual will simply steer their moral view to that which provides them the most personal benefits… and selfishness greed prevails. Then as selfish greed demonstrates good returns, the moral foundation is corrupted to incorporate those behaviors that generate selfish returns. The desired ends always justify the means.
It is the ubiquitous race to the moral bottom, even as material gains are appropriated.
Without any material adverse consequences, the bad character behavior is replicated and mainstreamed as the new morality.
I believe that our national morality started to decline the day after President Bill Clinton, the leader of the free world, sat there on national TV and told a bald faced lie that he did not have sexual relations with that woman, Ms. Lewinski. He basically told the world that any behavior can be considered morally right if you can get away with it.
Character, in my view, is identified not by the superficial stuff (e.g., mean Tweets); but the substantive indication that a person routinely pursues their own selfish wants in a way that causes material harm to others… and they know this but continue to justify their behavior.
I agree, Frank. Back in those days I was still wallowing in the leftist fog and I thought Bill was "just fooling around" because he was stuck with Hillary and he had all kinds of women throwing themselves at him. Thank God I soon after grew up and out of that delusion. His actions and slick, prevaricating talk, like Barak's, has permanently degraded the moral character of our country in profound and long lasting ways that we see ripples of everyday now.
Very well said, John. Character matters for the individual, as you so eloquently state, but it matters in business, and in society. Our republic in particular, and western civilization in general, depend on the high trust, moral man.
Thanks for this essay, John. I tend to ignore what I consider heathen philosophy because some people switch from Biblical truth to man's philosophy, and that could be eternally bad. But this view of Karma seems to be safe and helpful, because it talks about how doing the right thing usually gives you good results that don't hurt other people in the process. I have to remember this when I listen to clips from Chuck Schumer and want nothing more than to take a ballbat to him. I won't ever do that, but his demonic lies are so dangerous and so infuriating that I wish that I could. I sincerely believe that judgment day will come, and people who do evil- and try to convince others to do the same- will get the reward they deserve, while people who acted with peaceful restraint will be rewarded at their judgment. God sees, and He will set things right in His time.
He's a brilliant guy who looks at the world in a completely different way than we do. I feel like I can pick up things from him.
Remember, by the time justice finally prevails, injustice has gotten pretty much everything it wanted.
It's kind of like being in high school and asking God if you can have that girl you have a bad crush on.
"Sure," He says, "On the other side of 30 years, 60 extra pounds, two kids and a nasty divorce."
At the time it really hurts to hear that the answer to your prayers is "No." You "know" God is being mean and cruel in denying your heart's desire. Only with time- often many years later- do you realize "oh, so that's why He said No..."
I just meant there are hidden snags to everything.