Relative; having relation or connection. Ism; indicating an action, process, or result. Both are separate, relative being its own root word from the late Latin language and -Ism being a suffix that was also made up in the Latin era, Together they make, Relativism; any theory holding that truth or moral or aesthetic value, is not universal or absolute but may differ between individuals or cultures. It’s a theory that’s been brewing around since about 1860. Over time it’s been sprouting more and more meanings from its original root, some of these being Moral/Ethical, Situational, and Cognitive. All of these variations of Relativism have the same root, but extend to a different branch.
First meaning I will talk about is the Moral/Ethical meaning. It states that all morals are relative to the social group within which it is constructed, basically, every moral dilemma and principles are equal to one another. Second is the Cognitive branch. It affirms that all truth is relative, meaning that no truth is more valid than any other and all truth is of equal meaning. The last form of relativism is situational, the matter of truth or false. It states that you must follow the side of truth only if its relative to the argument at hand, this rule also follows for it being false.
Being a relativist, personally gives a better, more positive outlook on the world and it helps you refrain from doing many things. This can be good and bad. One of the things that you can’t do as a relativist is accused others of wrongdoing or complain that things have “evil”. You also cannot accept or blame praise for anything-- you cannot see things as unfair or unjust. A few more things you can’t do as a relativist, is improve your self-mortality, hold any conversation over morals or promote the obligations of tolerance. The reason that you can’t do any of these seven things is solely because of the fact that as a relativist, you’ll see things more equally and keep things better for yourself and others since you won't be a part of moral dilemmas and of more inquisitions.
Seeing the subject above you may ask yourself why someone might want to be a relativist. The reason a person would want to be a relativist is because you’ll have fewer complications with topics such as Politics and Religion. Those topics are two of the worst things that can be brought up into conversations because everyone's views are completely and utterly different when it comes to it. People get in fights and heavy arguments over these topics and tend to even break a friendship of bond over it. As a relativist, you won’t see political views as wrong or bad and religion will have no meaning to you, but both will be truly equal in their topics side. Another thing that comes up are the artistic views, peoples can’t be wrong or be right. They are equal, for all truths are equal. This would fall into the category of Cognitive relativism.
Another question that is commonly asked is; can you still be a relativist and try to fix your morals and see things as unfair, or unjust? It has a simple answer, no. The reason is because it takes away the concept and meaning of being a relativist. You, as a relativist, will see everything as equal- no unfair, unjust, or bad lies into the world. To want to be a relativist and still want to see unfairness and want to fix your morals is like wanting to take a shower without getting wet, it's a contradictory statement that just cuts itself out. People also ask if they can be relativists with religion in their life, the answer again would be no.
Some people will see the loss of religion as a bad thing, as others will see a loss of religion as a good thing. As a relativist, you see it as neither. No matter what religion someone may be you have no say on whether it would be a right or wrong- for it will be equal. The connotation of relativism is to see everything as an equal, to see the truth in everything for nothing to be wrong, to live a happier life ignoring moral dilemmas and working solely on yourself and others, and not focusing on what politics are right, what religion is true, or even what art is better. It's to live a better life away from all of those things that a non-relativist would see “evil” in the world. This is the true meaning of the Philosophy that is Relativism.
