Ubuntu: Reflections of Humanity

This particular talk by Chris Abani really struck a chord with me. Abani was a Nigerian political protester who managed to escape the trials of prison not only with his life but also with some amazing insight into humanity which he has manifested into poetry and books.

What I found most poignant was his reference to the South African phrase, "ubuntu", a word derived from a philosphy which asserts:

"The only way for me to be human is for you to reflect my humanity back at me."

He goes on to discuss his belief that the world is not saved by grand gestures but rather smaller everyday acts of compassion and kindness which he gives examples of through his own harrowing life experiences.

If you have the time (or even if you don't) this talk is worth watching and the ideas Abani discusses are definitely worth spreading.

For an unlimited source of inspiration pay a visit to the TED website, a collection of talks from some of the most brilliant, creative and inspirational people this planet has to offer disseminating what they believe are "ideas worth spreading".

Foundations for the "greater good": moral philosophy

Morality: principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour.

It forms the very core of who we are as human beings; dictating how we interact with each other and our environment, and yet it evades all five senses, so how are we supposed to understand it? Moral philosophy first sparked my interest three years ago when it popped up as a brief introduction to one of my media subjects. I'd been 24 years on this planet before I'd received any formal education on theories of ethics and morality, quite an oversight, I remember thinking at the time. I had imagined that something which was so essential to my humanity would have been broached a little earlier. I did of course receive plenty of informal training, "don't drown your sister in the bath", "don't put the cat in the letterbox", "don't take somebody elses food without asking"; these things were BAD. All those little hints did help to point me in the right direction but like so many other things we are taught when we're young it was "1+1=2, because it just did". As far as morals went there was never any real framework for examination or exploration, I was simply expected to be GOOD and had to guess the rest. 

As per the always evasive nature of philosophy, moral philosophy offers no concrete answers for what is right and what is wrong nor how we negotiate this daily see-saw but it does provide some concepts which have helped me to wrap my head around this intangible force within. There are three main theoretical areas within the field: metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics. Metaethics is the most abstract, examining the meaning and origin of morality, eg. do morals exist independently of us or are they human conventions? And what psychological factors motivate us to act morally? Normative ethics examine how we regulate these moral conventions, for example the consequentialist theories break it down into three categories:

1. Egoism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favourable than unfavourable to the person performing the action.

2. Altruism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favourable than unfavourable to everyone except the person performing the action.

3. Utilitarianism: an action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favourable than unfavourable to everyone.

Finally there are applied ethics which focus specifically on analysing various moral issues (eg. welfare, animal rights), employing various normative theories to determine right from wrong. It’s a lot to take in and this is only the tip of the iceberg but I think this is really interesting stuff. I'd love to go into more detail but everything you need you can find at the Internet Encylopedia of Philosophy (Ethics). 

Good and bad, wrong and right, they can make the world go round or stop completely. I want to understand why I act the way I do in different moral situations and even more than that I want to understand why other people act the way they do when faced with right and wrong. I believe change begins with understanding and this forms the basis of my journey, to understand as much as I can so that I can go into the world and do well, but more importantly I can go into the world and do "good".

Rachel

In the beginning there was... an aim.

"Every art and every inquiry, and similarly every action and choice, is thought to aim at some good; and for this reason the good has rightly been declared to be that at which all things aim." - Aristotle. 

For me encounters with my social conscience are a daily occurrence, a mixture of intention and (in)action which I often struggle to reconcile. This blog is an exploration of the internal battle; I’m taking it external, stripping it back and laying it bare for the world to see, with the blogosphere and as my mediator, regulator and guide.

I don't claim to be a saint nor do I have any plans to become one and whilst it would be nice to achieve world peace my aims are much more modest. What I know is that each of us has the capacity do some good and whether we're fulfilling our potential or not, there seems to be little discussion of it. So why aren't we talking about it? Does the silence speak of our inaction and guilt because we know we can and should be contributing but aren't? Or, do we keep quiet to avoid the public perception of the hedonistic do-gooder who only speaks of their deeds to boost their own image and esteem? Perhaps it is both or neither but either way I think that becoming involved in this dialogue has great potential to bridge the gap between intention and action.

I want to be held responsible and I want to be inspired. This blog is the platform for my journey into the social conscience and I hope that readers will join with me and come along for the ride. Any contributions would be greatly appreciated!

Rachel