The Argument for Amorality
The Argument for Amorality
In arguing for morals I have been surprised by a certain argument presented against me. The argument is that I am free to do exactly the same thing that I am complaining about. I suppose the logic of that argument is contained in the idea of ‘fairness’ – that everyone starts out even and that the predators are the winners and the victims are the losers, and that the victims have not so much been sinned against as scored upon in a game in which they should have played better and harder. It is the Conservative Republican argument for Freedom of Opportunity.
My problem with such an argument is that it presupposes the right of these predators to force all of the rest of us into playing their ‘Game’. My having an equal opportunity to Rape and Pillage affords little consolation when I would rather live in a World in which people have the Moral Training and Heart to understand that we should all refrain from such things.
But there are people with almost no moral insight, who assume that their small predations, sanctioned by time and tradition, are exempt from moral evaluation. These people need to consider that Civilization should always be improved upon. After all, consider if Civilization never improved upon its givens. Genghis Khan was once asked what made him happiest, and he replied that making himself at home in an enemy’s house and raping his wives and daughters in his presence right before killing him was what made him most happy. Now, we could apply the same republican and capitalist arguments to justify Genghis Khan. Do we all not have an equal opportunity to Conquer the World?
The true moral consideration is to reflect on any of our actions which could exploit or harm another human being. We should not congratulate ourselves that we were able to screw them before they screwed us. We should rather move toward a Civilization in which we stop screwing over each other.
Besides, even for those who accept the “Game”, there is the matter of tilting the Playing Field to favor the privileged few. But I suppose they would answer that cheating and being unfair is all part of the Bigger Game.
