”To discover the true principles of Morality, men have no need of theology, of revelation, or of gods: They have need only of common sense.” -Baron d'Holbach

Together, good and evil comprise the whole of human action; they are all-inclusive. This is contrary to notions of gradation between these two poles; but although there are grades of severity within each, there is no middle ground between these two fundamental qualities of action.

In reality, there is only one evil, and all other actions are good. This becomes clear when we use the term moral in place of good, as tossing a stone into a lake is easily seen to be moral, though we wouldn't typically think of it as good, per se.

The one evil in existence is denial - particularly, the denial of man’s innate freedom.

When we accept that good and evil are not supernatural concepts subject to interpretation, but instead describe the cause-and-effect of human behavior, we see that evil is an error in understanding or application relative to human rights, and thus must necessarily yield undesirable results. It is not unlike how a mechanical error will cause a machine to malfunction, or an error in mathematical calculation will cause an aircraft to crash.

Man’s rights are rooted in free will autonomy, which is a core aspect of human nature. He alone dictates which thoughts to give attention to, and thus which he will allow to inspire his action. The denial of truth relative to man’s inherent freedom is the false premise that creates immorality.

The mugger denies the victim’s free will concerning the use of his rightful property. The kidnapper denies the victim’s freedom of movement. The rapist denies the victim’s freedom to associate or disassociate with others in regard to intimate contact.

The denial in these instances is not disbelief regarding the free will of others, but rather a failure to acknowledge that reality via his actions. He knows it exists, but in the realm of action, it matters not whether you know something exists; it only matters whether you take it into account. Knowing, but ignoring, the fact that gravity exists has the same undesirable effect as not knowing of its existence at all.

Morality does not change with time and place, though understanding of it does. Man does not have the ability to alter morality by any means; no more than he has the ability to alter other natural laws, like the laws of physics. Legislation, religious belief, and cultural norms may or may not conform to moral law, but they are powerless to affect it. Should they conform, they are redundant; should they diverge, they are invalid.

Morality, as truth, stands above all human protocol as the ultimate arbiter. It is the primary obligatory standard for our behavior, and is ignored at great hazard to the individual, and the overall society. Understanding and aligning our actions with natural moral law is the only solution that actually solves. Any attempt to circumvent this by ritual, consensus, or any means whatever, is ill-conceived and doomed to failure.

Society reflects the thoughts and actions of the individuals of which it is comprised. There is no hope for a better world by means of external authority being imposed upon the individual. Should anyone doubt this, a brief sojourn into the pages of history will readily cleanse them of this misconception. An overwhelming majority of individuals must acknowledge and embrace true morality for positive change to occur. And where does our point of power lie? Within ourselves.

We do not have the power to make a moral commitment for others. But we do have the ability to lead by example. Waiting around for the world to become moral before you get on board is to afflict humanity with eternal strife. While you point to the immoral example of others to justify your own immoral support of invalid methodologies for change, they are pointing to your immorality to justify their own.

Sacrifice may – and very likely will - be required. There is always some short-sighted benefit to immoral action – that’s why people do it. These benefits must be forsaken if we understand the necessity of being the change we want to see in the world.

If we determine that mortgage lenders are thieves and counterfeiters, then we may have to forgo the house with the white picket fence. If we determine that taxation is theft, we may have to leave a job that is paid by tax dollars, or even one where taxes are withheld. If we determine that freedom is man’s inherent nature, and that it is wrong to deprive him of it in any way, then we must embrace the challenges of a world without external authority, and the self-responsibility for making it work.

Principles are primary – they are the “first things” in the phrase ”Putting first things first”. If we do not live by true principles, we shirk our duty to ourselves, our family, and all who inhabit this planet now, and in the future. The practicality of principles will prove out in the long run, if not immediately evident. Faith in truth will serve where long-term vision fails. I urge every person to make a commitment to principles, and to expound upon them at every available opportunity.

Until the world is guided by truth in the aggregate, the conversation must go on. Once we understand and enact true principles on a species-wide level, we can refrain from promulgating the obvious so fervently, and free ourselves up to pursue other interests more enthusiastically. But until that time, there is nothing more important than spreading knowledge of moral law. For what joy has the slave in petty recreations that can be torn from him at any moment by a world willfully ignorant of his right to freedom?

Consider this in earnest, and choose your place in history – amongst the miscreants and reprobates who misanthropically blockade the full expression of the human spirit, or on the front lines of freedom with those who forge a path into the next phase of mankind’s social evolution. The choice is yours.

Thank you,
Brian Blackwell

Relevant articles supporting a full understanding of the ideas presented above may be found here:

• Unravelling the Mystery of Human Nature

• Building a Better Body (Part 4): Your Point of Power

• Adventures in Consciousness: The Hero’s Path

• Adventures in Consciousness: The Path of the Dead