Monday, July 21, 2008

Good vs Evil

I suppose what we are being exposed to in the mass media has a lot to do with trying to influence us, the public, of our opinion on things.

While "truth" deals with the reality of things (and hence a bit more objective in the sense that there is a certain "reality" out there which we should try to discern even if it is also greatly influenced by our perception and "colours" of things), in a sense "good" has got more to do with the nature of the effect of our action or thought on ourselves and those in our immediate surroundings and elsewhere.

It may sound circular, but "good" is when our actions have positive effect on ourselves and society - positive in the sense that we feel encouraged to be happy and pleased with ourselves.

The issue of "good vs evil" is really a subjective thing, based on our likes and dislikes and hence depends on what we value most dearly. It is an opinion, a view of things in life. There is no one way about it.

In the light of the events that we read about one man's battle against the system for what he views to be "just," it does appear to be quixotic in battling against windmills and armies when in fact he may just be getting his knickers twisted.

I am for the freedom of individual expression, but I am sick and tired of being bombarded by one's man views and opinions continously for so long that I suspect that it may just be a propaganda of sorts. I would hate to think that one man's paranoia has been subconsciously seeped into my psyche and that of my friends and those around me.

Rhetoric may get only so far - and for some, very far! - but surely there must be a limit to hot air.

What is happening is an injustice to our nation and to ordinary men, women and children. Let us get on with our lives.

And I hope there is some policy maker out there who is worried about whether to raise the OPR from 3.5% to say 5% so that the ringgit may rise from RM3.30 to RM2.50 so that imported inflation may be reduced, though this may be bad timing as the global engine from China looks to be tottering.

However, it may be better to have just the recession without the inflation rather than stagflation. With higher interest rates, the high property prices may then fall just like what has happened to the stock market, inevitably.

When the economy has come down to its own reality, hopefully the whole nation can come back to our senses that the most important thing in life is a good education and from there we all work hard and sweat to try to contribute by our ideas to society and the world we live in. With a bit more wisdom from education, we would need less material things to be happy in this short life that we have, and leave the world in its own natural equilibrim or ecology.

Politics and politicians then become irrelevant and hopefully looks increasingly harmful. This will be a nice world to live in.

2 comments:

Jonas Lee said...

If good and evil is a matter of opinion based on how people feel, how would you like if I propose confiscating your property or raising taxes on high income earners because I and the majority of citizens believe in economic equality? Good and evil are absolutes and that explains why people of all races and religions supported PR's anti-corruption, anti-racism stance.

Seldom in the history of a nation does the fate of one man affect the fate of the nation. When the police put road blocks to prevent public access to Parliament the other day, how much economic damage was caused by the unproductive hours stuck in the traffic jams?

etheorist said...

Jeremiah,

That's is why there are people who would not hesitate to do that to me and think that they are doing the right thing,if given half the chance.

Good and evil is judged by its impact on people as individuals and as society as a whole. Some think a thing is good and some think the same thing is evil.

I agree that we may in so desperate a situation that we are inclined at the moment to think that one particular person can be our saviour.

But certainly I wish to think that there is still another alternative, even if remote.

As you can see, we have in our own way judged the situation to be evil, ie not good.