Just got out of my political science discussion class. I can say with complete resolve that I am proud of my decision to withdraw from the poli sci 1101 I took last semester. My new teacher, Marietta, is fantastic. His lectures are riveting, unbiased and thought provoking. Now, I’m not a huge fan of politics. The system intimidates me – I have dipped my toes in before, due to the passion of boyfriends or up-to-date pals who approach the topics and issues so fervently that I feel myself itching to involve every particle of my being in the debate. When I don’t have an opinion.
As a side note: Arguing is very difficult for me. I find it fairly easy to fight both sides of the battle, and that doesn’t do me any good. I can easily get caught up in the opposing party’s tactics to distract me, and start arguing about a different aspect of the issue that is irrelevant in order to defend myself. I also find myself to be largely ambivalent about issues. I can make myself care or make myself not care (product of being raised by a father that always offered false promises for the future). But mostly I find it hard to care one way or the other.
I say that now, but I’m about to rant about morality.
So here I am, sitting in Tate 2, eating garbage. Normally I don’t buy my lunch, but I thought I’d indulge today. Mistake. This is not indulgence. This is punishment. Supposedly Teriyaki Chicken, but it tastes like Styrofoam drenched in vinegar. Joan River’s sunken face is stretched across the HDTV mounted to the wall, she looks like her dentures are missing. I will never have cosmetic surgery.
I mean I considered a boob job but no way in hell could I ever justify that financially or internally. Who wants to be fake? I remember getting my braces off summer after my junior year of high school and feeling devastated as soon as I learned they were installing a permanent spacer. I’d never be able to run wild and free in the rainforest! I could never be completely natural! I can take off my clothes, take out my earrings, let my hair dye grow out... but I can never remove that spacer. I will be eternally linked to western medical practice. Some call it a blessing. But I’ve never had a cavity so I fail to see the point of my attendance at dentist appointments.
I do, however, see the value in my attendance at my new political science class. Especially the discussion. In the past I’ve rarely participated in group discussion for my classes... way back into high school. Perhaps due to my timidity. But recently I have been working to evolve out of that comfy cocoon of “say-nothing-and-you-shaint-be-judged”. Partially because that’s not true. Partially because there is a big bright world out there and if I keep my mouth shut I won’t experience what it has to offer. Its taken a great deal of time and effort on my part, but I’m a few steps away from abolishing my shy tendencies.
I could tell today in class. I wanted to talk. I wanted to share my opinion and participate and be heard. And my voice was steady! Hellz yeah! You have no idea what a triumph this is for me. Junior year high school honors lit- I had to read a speech I wrote about Euthanasia to the class. I argued for it, but my voice shook the entire way through. I could barely breath. And I was making everyone in the room feel terribly uncomfortable. Yuck.
Anyway. Morality. It came up--- does society need religion in order to be moral?
I brought up Richard Dawkin’s theory discussed in The God Delusion about morality evolving separately from religion. I said that without religion society would still be moral because it is in society’s best interest. Without morality nothing functions! In order to benefit from the wonders of a large society, man must develop morals. If religion is the truck they drove in on, so be it. But ultimately it is in everyone’s best interest to be good and civil to one another.
The girl behind me immediately raised her hand when it appeared I was finished and shared that she’d been brought up in a heavily Christian household and her parents had taught her what was wrong and right through those teachings. Without that guideline, she does not know how she would have learned her morals.
It was the end of class, we’d already run over, so I couldn’t reply. I would like to have emphasized that its in the best interest of people to be good! If we cannot trust one another at all, society falls apart. And then I would have embarked on the line of thought that would have upset her.. that morals obeyed purely on the basis of religion are not morals. In my opinion. Whoa re you being “moral” for? Are you merely obeying God’s will, or do you believe what you are doing is truly right? And for some that is one and the same... but I feel as if some folks are just trying to avoid hell, and do not truly see the beauty of morality. If you are immoral, sure, you’re going to go to hell. I don’t believe in heaven and I don’t believe in hell, and I still avoid being immoral. Its not conducive to my happiness. It won’t get me anywhere I want to be--- my life would fall apart around me. Killing my sister is wrong. Raping a little boy is wrong. Stealing someone’s wallet is wrong. Not wrong because the act will condemn me to hell (unless I ask forgiveness!) but wrong because it hurts other human beings, it affects their livelihoods.
I like Miike Snow. Song for No One.
Listen :)
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