Surrounded by yourself

"Morality is bad for mental health" - @elliotjgardner

I grabbed this quote (with permission) from a chat just a moment ago. I find it quite interesting to think about considering, I think in at least part, it is true. The people who often act morally (in their view) are often also struggling in other ways emotionally, perhaps because of it. I know for me, it is often a difficult position.

It isn't difficult to act morally as the thing with morals is that acting on them doesn't create internal conflict however, it does meet a lot of external conflict day to day and that can become wearing. Would it be easier to live unethically?

This is the problem because breaking the personal moral code is a worse position than constantly meeting the external conflict points. In some way, it is being stuck between a rock and a hard place all the time. People will say, "Just let it go" or something of the sort but, if the moral position is to not let it go then, letting it go is worse than holding on... even though holding on doesn't feel good.

Perhaps people that don't have strong moral/ethical positions don't suffer this fate as no matter their own actions, they are okay which means they will also likely meet less conflict that challenges their morals. They will accept all of the behaviors of others as passable because, they themselves don't care about right or wrong for themselves. In a way, it is kind of like being a psychopath of sorts.

It is a bit of a strange conversation to talk about morals these days as often, people associate them wit some kind of religious aspect, even though that may not be the case at all. I think many of the religion indiscretions are because people have tried to fit into a oral code that just isn't suited for them so it represses their real self or something of the sort and eventually, the real person shines through.

It is common when people are attempting to be something they are not that as time passes and they become more comfortable, their reality starts to leak out as they lose the attention required to constantly maintain it. I think it is a hard life to continually repress what one is to appear a certain way but, honestly isn't any easier either as it puts one's cards on the table for all to see.

Honesty makes us socially transparent and that opens us up to all kinds of negative consequences and, historical data points. Our moral positions, (despite what some believe) are fluid and can change over time. This usually happens as we get more information externally or, become more aware of our own positions internally. Perhaps this is why there is so much conflict though.

Maybe the conflict is because the moral position is growing and expanding and is also under various forces internally and externally. It might slowly get easier over time as the shifts start to better represent the true-self. I know for me, my positions have changed markedly over my lifetime as I have experienced a much wider array of circumstances, met many different people and suffered several large setbacks personally.

I don't really know what my moral profile looks like but, I think it would have something to do with compassion for others and doing what I can to help. The doing what I can has actually changed a lot as I used to do a lot more but, I found that I was becoming less and less effective as my own suffering increased. I realized that to be able to maintain a long-term goal, I would also have to spend enough time and effort on myself and building my own position.

When I made the initial changes many years ago, I felt that I was doing the wrong thing as it stretched my moral fibre but, in time I realised I became more capable to assist others and, the assistance of more came with less psychological pressure since there was less personal hardship and, I think this is the point in the long run.

A moral position shouldn't be difficult at all and should come with no personal cost as even though external costs are applied for holding a position, the moral self has already come to full terms with paying the price. This means there is no more conflict. I am not there yet and may never be. I am still conflicted, still have to question, still trying to find out just who I am. It may be a fool's errand or, it may lead me somewhere special, it doesn't really matter.

I think that we are all on a journey of discovery of who we are yet, all of our paths are different and we are all at various distances along them. I think a lot of the conflict in this world is because we don't yet know ourselves so, we argue with others thinking our position is solid.

Maybe in time, one of the great technological revolutions in the world will be one that facilitates self-discovery. That might be a gadget worth buying.

Just a rambling Friday mind after a very long day.

Taraz
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