Distinguishing Right from Wrong
Why it can be hard to tell the difference
From a young age, we were taught the concepts of right and wrong. Villains in movies always wore black and an ominous backing track would play when they were about to do something bad. Distinctions between right and wrong or good and evil is a message perpetually portrayed in society. Take the old Sanskrit story the Ramayana (above), which depicts demons to have multiple heads that conduct evil ploys and the gods as strong beings that hurl mighty arrows through the sky. Polarisations between right and wrong have long guided humanity. Choosing to do right from wrong aids self and societal growth, whereas choosing alternatively can cause chaos that extends to whole nations; however the distinctions between the two may not be so easy to navigate.
Schools of philosophy and theology have long taught the importance of virtues and morals. The desire to do the right thing is often commonplace in human beings, as we have often been taught from a young age to be good. These messages have been perpetuated within our society for as long as we can remember: “Share your toys with your siblings” or “Help an old woman cross the street”. By virtue of doing good, your immediate community is better off for it. And when a community feels the presence of kindness and hospitality, they pay it forward — morality spreads like wildfire. One could also argue that amidst aiding societal growth, a significant amount of personal growth also occurs as we practice our virtues and test the extents of our morality. However, not all men choose good. Often, choosing the wrong path is just more tempting.
People do immoral things all the time: Aladdin stole bread and Macbeth murdered King Duncan. However, it’s the wrong choices of influential men that impact whole nations. Take Xi Jinn Ping in China, who has performed nationwide ethnic cleansing on the Uyghur population for holding Muslim religious and cultural ideals. As objective parties, we can immediately make a clear distinction that this is the wrong thing to do. However, it is often the desire for power that makes great men do horrible things. Power is what made president Xi enforce the cleansing, so as to ensure his nation perpetuates the ideals of only the Chinese Communist Party, void of external religious influences. The paradox of power is that once we get a taste of it we crave more, doesn’t that explain why Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinn ping both wish to amend their party’s policies to ensure they serve longer terms? Power corrupts the minds of men and persuades us into choosing the wrong path.
Proponents may argue that right and wrong are not as easy to distinguish between. Yes, it is difficult, as doing the right thing is only as virtuous as one's own morality and ethical principles. To ensure that as a society we practice in a morally sound manner, it is important to consider philosophical writings that discuss these matters, so that we may educate ourselves and our wider community. It is encouraged that we discuss ethical dilemmas and our decision-making processes, so that we may have strong foundations that guide us in making morally sound choices. Arguably, laying down these foundational structures may be deemed ineffective when even the most moral of choices have insidious roots.
Today, even when we think that we are doing what is morally sound, we may be inadvertently be contributing to an immoral cause. Take for example, your weekly grocery shop, where you only buy food items that do not contain animal products in them. Although we may consider this as a good act that prevents the harming of animals, we may inadvertently be contributing to supporting slave trades, whereby workers on a soybean farm may be severely underpaid. Though moral in judgement, the decision may inadvertently be rooted in an immoral conclusion. Arguably, it is the lack of transparency in capital markets around the world that are one of many hindrances that perpetuate the struggle for societies to do better. As a society, we need to encourage transparency in the world of trade, so that as consumers we can guide the market towards representing the very ethical ideals we believe in.
Right and wrong are not as easy to distinguish between, because all of our moral compasses are aligned differently. What is inherently right to one person may be undoubtedly wrong to another. The only way we grow as people and as a society is to discuss our differences so as to not polarise them further, but instead achieve the most moral outcome that benefits society as a whole. Furthermore, as consumers, we wield the power to dictate our supply chains — our demand. Utilising our purchasing power will not only raise awareness of poor practices, but by enlarge, reinvent the structures of states and nations with morality at their center.
Thank you for reading and let me know what you think in the comments! Follow me for more of my ramblings :)
