Mass Selfishness Or Duty
A blog reader emailed: 'I just wanted to say that I agree about what you wrote on your blog about mass selfishness....
I also feel that our materialistic and individualist western capitalist societies are at some level encouraging this mass selfishness or me first always attitude. We’ve talked previously about the native Americans and the aborigines, and I’m continuing to read that book I shared with you. It is indeed very sad to learn of what the European imperial powers did to those peoples. Their greed, their selfishness, their lack of care for a people who were very different, yet also human. I believe these qualities of greed, selfishness and lack of caring for others continue in our present day. We need a new type of society where the common good is balanced against individual good. Unfortunately, in my opinion, western capitalist societies have tended to focus primarily on individual good alone. This is also evident with climate change and the destruction of the earth.
I think I hear through your words your caring, anger and sadness at the state of humanity. I think perhaps the Old Testament prophets are particularly apt for the present times.'
The UK newspaper The Times reports that the Brownies are to drop references to God in the name of inclusivity. Members of scouting and guide movements in UK have until recently promised 'I will do my duty to God and the king'.
Why do duty? If God is replaced with 'survival of the fittest'Â or 'anything goes'Â duty goes out of the window.Â
And why do duty to the king when some are anarchists or republicans?
The monotheist religions believe in one God and that every person reflects something of the Divine. Eastern religions believe in Perennial Wisdom and spiritual values.
Once we throw out duty we sow the seeds that will replace civilised society with narcisism.
It would be much better to promise 'I will do my duty to God or Good'.
We have a choice: Mass selfishness or duty.
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