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Exploring Morality, Chapter 4

Yes, indeed, what exactly is evil?

Osama bin Laden was somewhat a hero to us when he was slaughtering Russians and we eagerly supplied him with the means to do it. After the Russians left, he apparently decided that the US was a decadent, immoral society that stood completely at odds with Islam, an opinion shared by an alarming number of even “moderate” Muslims. At that point Osama became somewhat of an “enemy”. Then came 9.11 and he became evil incarnate.

So, up until now, he has promoted the idea in the Islamic community that our wish to peacefully co-exist with Muslims is actually evil.

Most mainstream religions do not differentiate between immorality and evil, which may be practically convenient, but absolute hell on their adherents. This is because the various religious leaders inevitably add “rules and regulations” to whatever they are using as a benchmark, such as the Bible or Koran. For example, nothing in the Koran requires women to wear the burka, only “modest” attire.

Is adultery evil? It seems to cause great harm to society. Is divorce evil? It seems in the Bible, God made a concession to Moses to allow divorce, as a concession to the evil hearts of men.

Even the Constitution us used by some to define wrongful behavior. The problem with that is it is subject to the whims of thousands of judges with varying political opinions and loyalties.

It’s a dilemma, to be sure. Maybe it all boils down to what a Supreme Court justice spoke years ago regarding the definition of obscenity.

“I cannot define it, but I know it when I see it”.

Was the execution of bin Laden evil? Was it less evil than flying planes into buildings? Is torture justified when it brings results? Is it evil to abandon our principles, no matter how worthy the cause?

Why are we not sending in the Seals to execute Assad or Gadaffi? Is it because their acts of evil have not directly affected the American psyche as 9.11 did? Do the ends justify the means?

» Posted By david p canada On May 4, 2011 @ 8:51 am

Race to the Bottom

No, not automatically.

However, given only two choices, I suspect Carlin would not have voted Republican with a gun to his head.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 4:27 pm

Alas, sometimes I make a comment based on common sense without consulting with the omnipotent Google-God.

I will admit that every statement in my above comment could be completely false. However, Koch Industries employs 80,000 people. Many of their companies are enterprises involved in traditional union-type labor, hence my assumption.

Talented and qualified employees are critical to the Koch Bros success. You’re not going to find many of those people in the minimum-wage pool (no disrespect, just reality).

I don’t believe there are too many burger-flippers on the payroll over there.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 4:24 pm

We have the ultra-rich in this country and the dirt-poor. However, there doesn’t seem to be the level of animosity between the classes that appears to exist in the US.

Could be that government mandated redistribution of wealth (taxation) is not resisted to the degree that your wealthy do?

Even the unions in Canada don’t have quite the gimme, gimme, gimme attitude of your unions. There is an acceptance that to make the system work all sides must work together. No “lines in the sand”, so to speak.

Polarization will always hurt a country and the fault for that lies with both sides. No one can claim the moral high ground.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 4:08 pm

I have every “album” George Carlin released. He was hilarious, usually spot on, and obviously a great talent.

However, with that talent he could have succeeded no matter which political stripe he chose. If he would have swung to the Right, all that talent would have simply meant loathing from the Left.

I can laugh at both Carlin and Miller.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 3:38 pm

Perhaps my language could have been a tad more diplomatic, but I’ll stand by my comment.

Just because someone fills my ears with what I want to hear and puts a clever spin on it doesn’t mean I ignore his warts.

I lean to the Right, but I don’t hang on every word or joke that falls out of Dennis Miller.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 3:31 pm

George Carlin really knew how to appeal to the unwashed masses and put tens of millions of dollars in his pocket at the same time. It was his shtick.

He was an entertainer. Charlie Sheen is an entertainer. Lewis Black is an entertainer. The WWE provides entertainment and has a rabid following.

George Carlin never gave a FUCK about me, either. He wanted my $40 to hear him bitch about the rich, and he was one of them.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 3:04 pm

Yet they have many thousands of unionized employees who are paid far in excess of the minimum wage. Also, thousands of non-union employees who are paid well.

It might be interesting to see if there is even one single Koch employee that makes only minimum wage.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 2:52 pm

The Crisis of Reality:Conclusions

She gets a lot of press.

And doesn’t give a damn what people are saying about her, as long as they are talking about her.

Can’t figure out why the Left gives her so much free publicity, other than possibly she’s just low-hanging fruit.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 10:50 am

Or we need to ask the question of someone who really knows what we are asking.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 10:45 am

Montana tea party on crack … or something

choicelady, I’m curious as to your opinion on Julian Assange and the “Anonymous” computer hacker group.

They seem to have a very similar attitude toward govt as the Right-wing militias.

» Posted By david p canada On February 28, 2011 @ 7:00 am

B&B is a tasty liqueur.

Just great with a splash of soda and ice, of course.

» Posted By david p canada On February 27, 2011 @ 2:57 pm

An Ill-advised Rant on the Nature of Arguments

The very word “opinion” conveys a sense of diplomacy.

If you say, “This brand of beer is shitty”, you’re really not giving me any room to debate. To challenge you, I must basically call you a liar. But if you say, “In my opinion, this brand of beer is shitty”, I can debate with you without you stalking out of the room in a huff.

Just my opinion.

» Posted By david p canada On February 27, 2011 @ 6:59 pm

In the World of the Blind, We’re Often Led Off the Cliff

In my home province of Manitoba, which is currently governed by a Party with a definite socialist agenda (the New Democratic Party or NDP, for short) essential services are not allowed to strike. Instead, any labor disputes that cannot be settled between the govt and the union are referred to a committee for binding arbitration.

This process is also required of corporations which have unions as well. For the last ten yrs we have had pretty much total management/labor peace.

Before then, it was a nightmare, with even the police withdrawing their services at one point. Thankfully, they were legislated back to work within a few days or we would have had anarchy.

Collective bargaining is fine, however in a civilized society, essential services should not have the option of striking.

Perhaps the reason the committee system works so well is that both sides have to submit their final proposals to the committee, and they select one proposal or the other in their entirety. This naturally prevents any one party from submitting a “silly bugger” proposal because the arbiters will reject it in favor of the most reasonable offer.

Imagine that, a socialist govt curbing union rights. And damned if it doesn’t work reasonably well for everyone.

» Posted By david p canada On February 27, 2011 @ 4:14 pm

Unions were heroic enterprises back then.

Now it’s about how many “sick” days, personal days, study days and just plain old tomfoolery days the union can squeeze out of the employer (usually the taxpayer).

» Posted By david p canada On February 27, 2011 @ 2:39 pm

Well, let’s not get ridiculous.

He put the “L” in Liberal and in Loony. Oh, Geez, now you’ve got me started.

Oprah. Dr. Phil. Ellen. Rachel Ray.

Please drill a hole in my head and pour sulfuric acid directly into my brain. Then suck it out with a Wet-Vac.

Now I am properly prepared for an afternoon of crying over lost puppies and abandoned transvestite lovers. Blind paternity tests. Men who have lost their wives to their sisters.

You can almost hear the intelligence of America leaking out like air from a pin-prick in a balloon.

» Posted By david p canada On February 27, 2011 @ 2:11 pm

Fox and MSNBC have a loyal viewership of little more than 1% of the population. People who wait with baited breath for these haters to infect their living rooms are the same who go to their first Amway recruitment meetings with delusions of yachts and Swiss villas bouncing in their heads as reality.

The WWE comes to mind. Rasslin’. Brock Rockbeater is the hero one week, villain the next.

When ruff and ready Ed calls someone a goat, a goodly portion of the Left shouts in acclamation. When Beck portrays himself as the Messiah’s messenger, Right-wing preachers take his verbal swill straight to the pulpits of the nation.

We need to tune these assholes out. There are plenty of talented brilliant voices of moderation ready to lead us out of the wilderness if we only stop and listen carefully.

It’s just so damned difficult to hear them over the cacophony of the false prophets of doom.

» Posted By david p canada On February 27, 2011 @ 1:11 pm

Pessimism in the Age of Mass Manipulation and Plutocracy…

If you cannot forgive, then you must say that at least occasionally, you prefer war over peace. Unforgiveness brings conflict to the soul of the hater. It’s like a dull toothache that never quite goes away. And it usually brings suffering only to the person originally harmed, which is yourself.

If you do not forgive, then you hate. There is no middle ground.

And how is forgiveness “validation”? Perhaps I’m not understanding you correctly, but if I forgive someone for stealing my car, I am in no way condoning theft.

Countries forgive each other. The United States and Great Britain did so long ago and since then it has developed into a hugely beneficial relationship for both parties. The Israelis and Arabs will ultimately have to forgive one another or conflict will continue without end.

If forgiveness is no longer an option, then we abandon all hope.

“To err is human, to forgive, divine”.

» Posted By david p canada On February 26, 2011 @ 7:10 pm

Adonai, I really don’t know how to interpret your comment. Can you not forgive even a little child for tipping a soda on your rug? Even when asked? Or do you just forget about it and that’s that?

For me, the acts of forgiving or receiving forgiveness are possibly the most satisfying slices of life.

As to “Seeking the favor…”, I have read many comments by you which seemed to ask for understanding, agreement, and a favorable response. I could be mistaken, though.

Is “self” all that is important? I try to please my wife by sacrificing my time to earn her favor. She reciprocates and we have a successful 34-yr marriage. It wouldn’t have even lasted 1 yr if it would have been all about “self”.

All good relationships are a two-way street. It’s give and take. You win some and you lose some.

» Posted By david p canada On February 26, 2011 @ 5:45 pm

Sorry, Abby, I was probably responding more to some comments than your very well-written piece.

As I am in the 2nd half-century of life, my mind tends to wander to and fro occasionally maybe even often.

» Posted By david p canada On February 26, 2011 @ 5:17 pm

Sorry, can’t get on the hate bandwagon. Don’t hate anyone. I hate some things people do (especially to each other).

But if I hate for one single day, it’s a wasted day. Might as well forgive, quickly if possible.

A much wiser man than I said, “not forgiving someone is like taking poison and hoping someone else will die”.

» Posted By david p canada On February 26, 2011 @ 2:08 pm

A fairy tale city

I only cheer for two teams.

New Zealand and anyone playing Australia.

» Posted By david p canada On February 23, 2011 @ 6:21 am

Wisconsin, what does it really mean?

jdm,

There is a long list of union leadership encouraging members to strike in the face of a plant closing. When the inevitable happens, the workers are left high and dry.

» Posted By david p canada On February 22, 2011 @ 8:14 am

Interesting that #1 has the phrase “right to work” which is derided by most unions as regressive.

» Posted By david p canada On February 22, 2011 @ 6:09 am

Abbyrose,

I always tip at least 15%.

My grandfather had a unique method of tipping. The worse the service the bigger the tip. He just hoped because of that, the next person would get treated better.

He was a minister in the church I used to attend.

» Posted By david p canada On February 20, 2011 @ 6:46 pm

cyrano1,

Perhaps a childhood accident or a missed diagnosis.

Har. Just kidding.

You do have my sympathy, though.

» Posted By david p canada On February 20, 2011 @ 6:02 pm

Adonai,

If you’re referring to “Bourbon”, I would respectfully say that it tastes like its been through someone already.

» Posted By david p canada On February 20, 2011 @ 5:50 pm

Haruko,

I always thank Americans for the selection in their stores and low prices. I hate paying $5.00 for a gal of milk and $4.00 for a gal of gas (Canadian gas sells for $3.00 gal in the US).

Regarding the Soviet Union, I believe the MIC in both countries built up the tension and the public bought it. War or near war is always good for those bastards.

The USSR would never have fought a all-out war against Europe with the nuclear arsenal that Great Britain and France possessed.

» Posted By david p canada On February 20, 2011 @ 5:41 pm

jkkFL,

Not into shelling but got a neighbor that is and he’s been wintering there for 30 yrs.

Totally agree, food is fantastic (I need to lose 10 lbs, not gain 20), and the weather is perfect even when it’s shitty.

» Posted By david p canada On February 20, 2011 @ 5:15 pm

AlphaBitch,

Don’t know the area real well, but I think we’re about 5 mi. North of Naples.

I keep my wife away from Nordstrom,though. $1200 for a purse, my ass.

» Posted By david p canada On February 20, 2011 @ 5:09 pm