It's been said, particularly during a recent game of 'Scruples', that everything for me is 'black or white', and so it was easy to determine what my answers would be to various questions that concerned how I would react to various scenarios.
For so many years now, I've always been told by people that there are many shades of grey in situations, and that nothing is either black or white. I've always disagreed. I've always believed that everything IS either black or white, and that far too many people shade something grey or in various colours of the rainbow, when they don't need to. I believe that people often unnecessarily complicate things. I try not to.
According to the 'alignment' system in Dungeons & Dragons, I am, personally, of this alignment:
The Chaotic Good mindset is a paradox of the desire for individuality and a benevolent concern for others. Chaotic Good characters are almost always strong minded and each tends to possess a unique moral compass about what exactly is right and what is wrong. These characters have a tendency to pass moral judgments based on their beliefs, and to hell with what anyone else thinks. Despite this individualism, the definition of good, for most Chaotic Good characters, is 'don't hurt anyone else'.
…Chaotic Good characters, consciously or not, resist authority because they have a tendency to equate law with evil. They have the universal precept that every man should be left to his own to make up his own mind. In this aspect Chaotic Good characters can be very anarchistic, since they have a trust that people are capable of governing their own behavior.
(You can see what alignment you are as well by going to this alignment test. You can then go here to read a better description of your alignment:)
My attitudes in life are shaped by a very simple philosophy: "if it feels good and doesn't hurt me or anyone else, then do it." Against every choice in my life, every action and every decision, I put it against that simple philosophy. If the results of that choice will not hurt me or anyone else, then I will do it. This means that to an extent, I break the law, particularly if I think that the law should not apply.
You can get a further idea of my ideas on society by having a look at My Political Policies.
I've done things in my life which many people have found, or would find, objectionable. There are times when I have even hurt people by my actions, usually only emotionally. I regret those things I have done that have hurt people, but I don't regret those things that I have done which haven't hurt people.
I commit actions which are technically illegal, but which, according to my point of view, are of benefit to people. I feel that there are many laws which are actually hurtful to people, and that the removal of such laws would be much better. The benefit of such laws goes to an elite few, rather than for the benefit of people and society. I hope that by being one of those working against such laws, eventually society will realise that the law is a waste of time, because society has moved beyond the need of such laws and traditions, and that the laws will be removed or changed.
It's been very hard for me to stay quiet when I see injustice. When I see people doing things that can harm other people, I get seriously up in arms about it. It annoys me and frustrates me to see people getting away with doing potentially physically harmful things. Eg. cyclists running red lights and pedestrian crossings, thinking the road rules don't apply to them, or people getting their way through the use of fear and manipulation. The strong ruling the weak through fear and manipulation is a major no no with me.
Smaller issues, such as having an affair, is also not something I choose to do. I consider it immoral to cheat on my partner, but I don't consider it immoral to be single and having an intimate relationship with a married woman behind her partner's back. My views on this are opportunistic, and are a version of: "if it feels good and doesn't hurt me or anyone else, then do it." If my actions have the potential of hurting me or someone else, I won't do it. Being discreet has a way of preventing anyone from being hurt, and since I was single and available, why not? There was also the fact that if it wasn't me enjoying the pleasure, then someone else would be.
However, that issue is different now, because I'm not single. I'm with someone who I love dearly (Deidre of course!), and I wouldn't ever cheat on her. However, I'd have sex with another woman only with Deidre's knowledge and permission, as long as doing so would not hurt her.
The other day Deidre wanted to tell a friend of hers a secret that she thought the friend should know. She was in two or three minds about it, and I asked a simple question: "What good would it do?" There would have been no good for anyone if the secret was told. It would have destroyed friendships and relationships. Deidre saw the value in my point of view, and decided not to tell the secret.
This is the basis of my life, and my philosophies. If it feels good, then do it. If there's no good in doing it, then don't.
To me, it's either black or white. There are no shades of grey. There is good and bad and how I, and others, are affected by the consequences of my actions. All my decisions are based on how they relate to these two possibilities.
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