The Fallacy of Morality
From Atlantic Roleplay Wiki
The Fallacy of Morality
by Raza Darquane
Introduction: Page 2
Chapter one: Page 8
Chapter two: Page 15
Chapter three: Page 20
Conclusion: Page 31
Introduction: What is a moral?
Troughout society, there are many established norms. You do not kill eachother, you do not take eachother's possessions, you to not impair eachother's freedoms where possible. Humans, as social animals, have obvious use for the above mentioned rules, although their reason can be questioned. However, the purpose of this work is to adress those rules, norms, morals, that do not serve any purpose whatsoever outside of limiting your own freedom, your experience of life. These 'rules', set by the norms of culture or religion, and passed over between generations and neighbours, are often refered to as 'morals'.
The purpose of this work is to show an alternative view on these 'morals', showing their irrelevance and injustice, and hopefully freeing the reader from their limits, or at least make them think.
Chapter one: The Limitation
So where exactly do these morals get in the way of one's freedom? Let's take a look at a few of those norms and see. Take for example love. By itself an emotion, not a moral, society has possibly placed more rules upon love than on any other concept. According to the norm of morality, you're supposed to love one person and one person only in this fashion. This person is to be of the right age, the opposite sex, not a member of your own family, and depending on your specific culture possibly of the same race, aproved of by your parents or kinsmen, go down the list. Once with a partner, sexual activity is to be limited completely to being between the two of you, you're supposed to take pre determined positions in your social relation, have children, and finnish up by teaching them everything you were thought to start the circle anew. Taking a look at the sheer number of these rules, and the sheer amount of things they define for you, it is not difficult to see they make one's life into a single tunnel, with no major choices outside of walking to the end like you're supposed to.
Chapter two: The Irrelevance
So, why exactly should you limit your life like that? Why shouldn't we break these rules? Again and again yours truly has asked this question. Again and again, answers have failed to provide any valuable argument whatsoever. "Everyone does it." "It's just wrong." "My parents thought me this." "It's a matter of respect" "<insert worshipped deity here> tells us to do it like that."
Not a single reason exists for most of these norms. Brought into existance by the short sighted, passed on by the simple and close minded, these morals serve no purpose besides keeping society from it's rightful evolution. Like the shepherd guides it's sheep, these morals are to guide society. And unquestioning like sheep, most of society embraces and guards these morals with whatever conviction they can muster.
Chapter three: The danger.
"So, these morals severely limit one's life experience, while there is no real reason to follow them?" Exactly. However, as if that's not enough to dump them, there is more. Many of these morals bring direct and very real dangers with them, even to that which you are allowed to enjoy within them. Let's go back to the example of a romantic relation.
You've finally found that partner according to every rule, and madly in love with them, ready to spend your life with them. But then, your leader decides it's time for a war, and your lover is to go fight for their "honor" and "duty" (two more useless moralistic concepts right there). In their absence, another person comes into your life, comforting you in your worries and loneliness. So considerate and sweet they are, you fall into deep love with them. But oh no! that's not supposed to happen! You already love someone, it's not supposed to be possible to love two people at the same time. That must mean love is not real. But it feels real? It isn't, society says so. And even if you manage to accept the fact you now love two people yourself, how are you going to bring it to them? They all expect a relation to fit the norm, unrelenting loyalty and exclusive attention. Well, within the bounds of is nothing left to do here. You've lost.
As you see, morality builds expectations of others to abide by those rules. Expectations that aren't kept mean hurt or anger or other negativity. Voilence, death, torture, exile, depression... and no chance for help, since everyone around you believes in these morals. Breaking them is evil. It's wrong. It's your own fault.
Conclusion:
The only conclusion one can draw from all this, is that these morals are one of the greatest evils in society. If you want to enjoy your life, you owe it to yourself to break through them. If you consider yourself just, you owe it to everyone else to be open minded towards it if they choose to do so. If you want to know the truth, you owe it to yourself to think without prejudice, and destroy the socially implied barriers in your mind.
So break a rule once in a while. If you feel attracted to someone of the same sex or family, go for it. If you fall in love with someone other than your original partner, talk about and consider some freedom in your relation, or perhaps even polygamy. If your king next summons you for another holy war on the premise that it is your duty, speak to your people and be prepared to decide otherwise.
You do not live to serve.
You live, to live. Author: Raza Darquane Editor: Z. Svoyza Published Feb 6, 349
With special thanks to: Reason.