A moral dilemma

[Keneke]

Here's something that's been bothering me as of late. I am just forming it in my head, so please bear with me.

On one side I consider a relativistic, subjective morality: That might makes right and all the social rules in the world are from peer pressure. On the other hand, I'd like to believe in an objective ground for (for example) my rights: That I deserve freedom from the majority's opinion to do what I like.

The rules of my land are mostly defined by the majority vote, which I disagree with. (I support gay marriage, for one.) How does one reconcile individual choices that go against the grain of society, when I truly know that it is society that creates our rules in the first place? As an atheist, I know I am tolerated but not loved in our fair state of Alabama. (Ha!)

In another example, we were discussing "Kingdom Hospital" over in the Movies and TV forum. Many people were saying the original Danish version was much better, but I know that more people will probably watch the American version because it has Stephen King's name on it. Also, everyone was dissing "Titanic" in some of the Oscar threads, though it made the most money ever. Was Titanic a great movie? I may say yes because of the $$, but I may say no because of critical opinion. How can I decide?

And so, that's the heart of the matter. Torn between the majority opinions and dissenting opinions, how do I decide what is right? For, if we all have decided in previous threads that morals are subjective, what keeps us from mindlessly joining the majority? Have we already been assimilated on subjects that we think are 100% true? (For example, that murder is wrong.) Are we, as dissenters, aberrations? Or is there something deeper that allows, and even encourages, us to have differing opinions?

 

[MLynn]

Since I am neither a dissenter or a "joiner," I say that people have liberty to think about various issues, decide what is right and act accordingly for the good of themselves, their communities and society (there will always be disagreement). Having a firm opinion doesn't have to be a hard-as**d kind of thing. I for one, value different views/opinions - it keeps me thinking!

 

[Keneke]

So you are of the mind that dissention is a good thing? I can agree with that, for sure, but what about the benefits of uniformity?

I guess I am just looking for answers where there are none...

 

[El Greco]

Have we already been assimilated on subjects that we think are 100% true?

Sometimes we have been assimilated, others not. And this is versatile too. Our worldview changes daily. Personally, I choose to ignore majority's opinion when it conflicts with mine. Knowing that there is no such thing as absolute right or absolute wrong makes it much easier. Depending on the situation, I may hide my disagreement or express it openly.

But before most people are ready to answer your dilemma, they should be sure that 1) they know and understand their own opinions and 2) they know and understand what they perceive to be the majority's opinion. And, as far as I can tell, most people have serious problems with the above, especially the first one.

 

[MLynn]

So you are of the mind that dissention is a good thing? I can agree with that, for sure, but what about the benefits of uniformity?

I guess I am just looking for answers where there are none...

For societal reasons, uniformity is a good thing, e.g. traffic laws. In America I think we have the freedom to have a blend of uniformity and individual dissention - life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, freedom of religion, etc. I think balance in one's life is the key. Sorry if I'm rambling, I have to think about this some more.

 

[spejic]

Or is there something deeper that allows, and even encourages, us to have differing opinions?

I think there is. Societal morality operates like evolution - the majority of individual characteristics are pretty similar, but there are different characteristics on the fringes which pull in all directions, and in so doing keep the bulk pretty stable. Then when something changes so that a characteristic on one of the fringes makes more sense, the center point shifts to there.

 

[Fun2BFree]

You have been indoctrinated so heavily that you fail to see the error is in the question itself...it is incomplete-- rampnat with unstated undefined and assumed meaings...what is right...what is right FOR WHAT PURPOSE? What is the right temperature for water? Depends on what you are trying to accomplish...swim, bathe, skate on it, cook in it, drink it....

What is right behavior depends on what you hope to accomplish..and that depends on being able to actually measure the outcome and figure out if the choice made was the best way to reach the outcome.... simple yet complex....
gay marriage---what is actually gained or lost by allowing gays to marry? Does banning gay marriage really do anything at all for straight marriage as the Defense of Marriage crowd claims? I can't find any evidence that it does even in a thought experiment...I just can't see how my marriage or the future straight marriages of the world are affected one iota by allowing gays to marry...UNLESS it means they will have more tax dollars coming to them then they do now..then it becomes a question of how important is it to keep those dollars away from people whose sexual choices we dispprove..that is a slippery slope....I can't see how it leads to society falling apart--I want to meet the guy or gal who would help hold society together better but only so long as gays can't marry...I just don't get it--is this going to make more people become gay? Or more likely is it going to make fewer gays enter into marriages that their hearts are not into and thus lead to fewer divorces and a more stable society????

As far as I can tell if you scratch an anti-gay marriage person you basically find that it is the inherent and implied APPROVAL of gayness that is objected to -- it has nothing to do with straight marriage and any weaking it has on that institution.and this is primariy based on irrational notions of God disapproving of gays...