Morality & taoism
There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it
so.
(Shakespeare)
Morality?
Morality does not actually exist.
It is a value judgement applied to phenomena.
The judgement
criteria is determined by our upbringing,
culture, education and conditioning.
What one person thinks is right/good, another may consider to be wrong/evil.
It is a matter of perspective.
Taoism
Taoism does not really favour formal codes of conduct - preferring the
individual to be morally self-governing.
It recognises that morality does not actually exist.
There is no inherent morality in phenomena: rainfall or a cold wind is not
bad, being angry is not bad and being friendly is not good.
When morality is applied to reality, it divides the world into agreeable and
disagreeable facets.
Taoism is not arguing for or against morality, it simply indicates the fact
that morality is something that is applied, rather than something that is.
Te
'Te' refers to the essence of something: the treeness of tree, the
femaleness of women...
It is an inherent quality that makes a dog a dog and not a cat.
The essence/nature/character of something is not a moral condition.
For example: having sex is neither good nor bad. Whether you have sex with
your own partner, or someone else's.
Sex is not a moral act.
It is a natural, healthy process that is linked to the survival of our
species.
The difficulties in life occur when we try to apply rules and conditions
to things that are not inherently good/bad, moral or immoral.
Rules
Society imposes many rules,
values and social customs upon the individual.
Are these codes actually moral?
And by whose standards?
Much of modern culture seems to be determined by business.
Business is about exploiting opportunity, making a profit, seeking to
advance at the expense of others.
Is business a good source for morality?
Religious morals may seem more healthy and balanced than those of
business, yet religions are not without fault.
Wars have been fought over belief systems.
The very basis of a religion has been set aside in order to promote the
religion itself through conflict.
Does this speak well of applied morality?
Children approach everything and
everyone with curiosity.
Their minds have not yet categorised, labelled and dissected things and
people,
thus they perceive things and people as they really are.
(John Lash)
Should we reject morality?
Taoism does not suggest any course of action.
It merely invites you to understand the processes of your own consciousness.
You see and assess the world according to who you, not according to how it
is.
Can you see the danger of this? The sheer naivety?
We are all taught to be moral.
But are we capable of determining right or wrong, good or bad?
Should we trust our own judgement?
Page created 25 December 2004