The Right Thing

955 Words2 Pages

“Doing the right thing” is can be based upon a number of different factors. First, there is generally a sense of what is absolute goodness. These are the absolute moral standards by which we should live our lives, given to us either either by a higher power or our cultural environment. In Christianity, for instance, this is expressed in the Ten Commandments absolute ethical laws divined by God, also shared by other major religions. In secular society, it is the rule of law, the consensus of the majority of society on the regulations by which that society should be governed. Balanced against this sense of absolute goodness is relative goodness. Relative goodness is still a moral rightness but dependent on a situation still agreed upon by society. The act of killing another person is a good example. In most situations, killing another is immoral and illegal. However, in acts of war, self defense, and capital punishment it is defended. Finally, there is subjective goodness. In this scenario, rightness is determined by the rationale of the promoter. Abortion doctor killers may believe they are saving future children. Law abiding society sees them as extremists. We are born as individuals, yet part of a larger context be it family, group, tribe, culture, organization, nation, world system or whatever it may be. Although we are usually driven to our own individual self-realization achieving the highest potential for ourselves achievement is usually within a context. Our drive is balanced by the rules under which we must live. We usually can't just do our own thing or we'd be branded a renegade or, even worse, criminal. Our rules for right living are generally taught to us by our influences family, religion, school. ... ... middle of paper ... ...e Boys and Girls Center, an after school program where kids receive help. The help may compensate for a dysfunctional family or environment. It obviously helps society. The cynical may say that the dysfunctional should help themselves, that all we are doing here is breeding dependency, yet we are also building our future. Disadvantaged children can one day when there older think back and remember what others have done for them and they will themselves become a person who helps someone in need. The Youth Center both encourages individual potential and in the long run helps social unity by giving kids and people in need the opportunity to succeed.There is no one answer to what is the " right thing." It is as complex as any social or moral question. Yet in its pursuit, we are educating ourselves on the diversity of goodness and the need for common understanding.

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