I previously thought I was aware of what I wanted to accomplish with my life, what my career would be, how I desired to act. I thought of the world in polar opposites where good was good, and bad was bad. There was no grey area.
Now everything seems so complicated, things are no longer good or bad.
Everything now depends on motive… did a person steal diapers for their baby or did they steal jewelry? Every detail factors in to whether something is acceptable or intolerable. Nearly everyone holds on to set values or principles that they consider as imperative for morality to be upheld.
The concept of these moralities is what precedents most conflict in the world.
The majority of people would concur that a human life is sacred and should not be seized at the will of another human being. However, when it comes to abortion, the positions become unclear. It brings up the question of when life commences, does it begin at conception? After the second trimester? After birth? This is the opinion that nobody can come to an agreement on which is why it produces conflict.
It is imperative to recognize where you stand on a matter, to know which lines you will not cross. However, aggressive pushing of your opinions on another is not beneficial to anyone. An opposing person is probable to be just as obstinate in their views as you are so not only are you irritating them it is unlikely going to change anything.
Recently I had the pleasure of driving down I70 in Kansas. If you have ever made this drive you understand that it’s not all that pleasurable, and you are probably wondering why I am even bothering to bring it up. Amongst the many fields of wheat, or corn, or what have you… there was a billboard. It was a crudely painted piece of wood that said ADOPTION NOT ABORTION in big block letters that screamed at all the drivers on the highway. This isn’t effective, nobody is going to be driving down the highway to an abortion clinic, see that sign, and think, “oh, gee! Adoption, I never thought of that”. No this sign is only going to make them feel as if the whole world is against them.
Bringing this back to morality, and the values that each person holds true to themselves. The lesson I hope you gain from this article is that it is okay for other people to have values different than your own, but it is not okay for you to push your values on another, as that is what leads to conflict and people getting hurt.
