We are all given a basic idea of right and wrong as we grow up. It starts when we are childern, whether its from religion, fairy tales, or even just our parents admonishments, by the time we are 10 years old we all have a pretty large understanding of what is right and what is wrong. However, as we enter into adulthood, we all equally realize that, although our childhood ideas are mostly valid, they are far from complete. As an adult then, how are we to know what to do in morally challenging situations? Some will follow the path of religion. Others will try to emulate their favorite celebrity/movement and undertand how to act from them. But all of these people have the issue of not really understanding what they're doing. Whether it's Jesus or Kendrick someone is taking their queues from, they ultimately can only follow almost thoughtlessly, since they often don't have the time or even the interest to understand the things they are told. Thats fine for many people. Yet for those who need a deeper knowledge of how to act the only real solution is concious reflection. If I were to define it, it is a type of reflection which leads to a greater understanding of how one's own life affects others. This is the best way to understand how to act in relation to other people.
Concious reflection begins with the questioning of the basis of one's moral beliefs. Is it really right to be truthful all the time? Is it really best to not drink alcohol? Is fighting/arguing in public shameful? Some who start asking these questions will not be strong enough to reason to the end. They will get stuck at 'maybe I don't need to care about the truth' and become a manipulative/dishonest person. Others will decide that it is only imprtant for others to follow moral codes but that they themselves don't need to. But for those who can think through the problems of how to relate with other human beings in a good way, they will see that, while the absolutes of childhood are often wrong, there are many important rules that people should respect when dealing with fellow human beings. However, each person who can has to answer this for themselves. One can learn to chant in church or take to heart the lyrics of any rap song, but it is only those who have a personal understanding of these things that will be capable of useful human relationships.
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