• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • AMERICAN DEMOCRACY
  • WORLD DEMOCRACY
  • POLITICAL ART
  • more
    • election technology
    • money politics
    • political dissidents
    • THIRD PARTY
      • third party central
      • green party
      • justice party
      • libertarian party
    • voting methods
  • DC INFO
    • author central
    • about
    • advertise with DC
    • contact
    • privacy policy

Democracy Chronicles

On Right and Wrong in the Particular Context of an Act

by Aydasara Ortega - August 7, 2015

FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Not only are there before and after,
but there are also beginnings and returns.1

On Right and Wrong

How can we tell what is moral from what is not? Is there something within us that lets us know? Is the difference between right and wrong free from situationism: the particular context of an act? Is morality absolute, applicable in all circumstances and for everyone equally? The ways are not always mapped or charted.2

We feel that is wrong to harm a fellow human being. We sense that is right to care for others. But, what happens if – for instance, in an acute circumstance – a child is about to die of hunger (or of an illness) and the only way we could save his or her life is by stealing a piece of bread (or a medicine)? I’ve learned what I was supposed to learn, but now it comes to me that in doing so I’ve unlearned other things.3

From one perspective, the person that steals the piece of bread or the medicine commits an immoral act: that person broke a rule. From another perspective, the person that doesn’t (and the child dies) commits a wrong too: that person didn’t care enough to bravely act. Here we find ourselves with a dilemma that doesn’t fit well with the conception of absolute morality: the ethical belief that there are absolute standards against which moral questions can be judged, and that certain actions are right or wrong, regardless of the context of the act. Whichever road I follow, I walk in the land of many gods, and they love and eat one another.4

Let’s take lying as another instance. We feel that we should not lie, as lying can be harmful. The act in itself is neither good nor bad; the intention and the effect of the act are what harm us. Some people see scars, and it is wounding they remember.5

On Right and Wrong

Now, suppose you live in a country where an unjust persecution (brutality, harassment, law…) is taking place towards a group of dissidents or slaves or foreigners or any labeled “the others”.6 And these seek refuge at your place to avoid being captured,7 tortured, or murdered. Then, the law enforcement agents come to your door and ask you: “Do you know these persons? Have you seen them? Can you tell us where they are?”

If at the moment you tell the truth – trying to adhere to an absolute morality – what could happen? Phantoms of generations past are in our bodies. These explain us to ourselves.8

If you – on the other hand – lie and save (for the moment) their lives, was your act right or was it wrong? Was it moral or immoral? Depends on the situation,9 depends on the context, or does it not? Most of the time we are simply not patient enough, quiet enough, to pay attention to the story.10

LINKS:

  1. Linda Hogan. Dwellings.
  2. Ibid.
  3. Ibid.
  4. Ibid.
  5. Ibid.
  6. The Guardian. Uganda’s LGBT community celebrates Pride – discreetly.
  7. NPR. Border Agent Accused of Hiding Illegal immigrants.
  8. Linda Hogan. Dwellings.
  9. Democracy Now! U.N.: Number of Globally Displaced Nears 60 Million.
  10. Linda Hogan. Dwellings.
FacebookTweetLinkedInPin

Filed Under: DC Authors Tagged With: Dictatorships, Political Dissidents

About Aydasara Ortega

Aydasara Ortega Torres writes for Democracy Chronicles from New York. She is a Faculty Member of Psychology at the College of Mount Saint Vincent. Also take a look at her website for more of her work.

Some highlighted Democracy Chronicles topics

Africa American Corruption American Local Elections American State Elections Asia Capitalism and Big Business Celebrity Politics China Democracy Charity Democracy Protests Democrats Dictatorships Education Election History Election Methods Election Security Election Transparency Europe Internet and Democracy Journalism and Free Speech Middle East Minority Voting Rights Money Politics New York City and State Elections Political Artwork Political Dissidents Political Lobbying Redistricting Republicans Russia Socialism and Labor Social Media and Democracy South America Spying and Privacy Supreme Court Third Party Voter Access Voter ID Voter Registration Voter Suppression Voter Turnout Voting Technology Women Voting Rights Worldwide Worldwide Corruption

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Home | DC AUTHORS | On Right and Wrong in the Particular Context of an Act

Primary Sidebar

Advertise button

A Dangerous Reprise Of American Exceptionalism In Ukraine

By Jamie Lampidis May 15, 2022

The stakes are too high to cave into Putin’s phantasmatic imperial play, and too high to believe that this war can be won by arming Ukrainians.

On The Coming End Of Roe v. Wade

By Peter J. Dellolio May 11, 2022

Anyone who says that the evolution of law has nothing to do with politics is either very corrupt or very stupid. Laws evolved through the centuries.

democracy chronicles newsletter

DC AUTHORS

Goodbye Roe v. Wade, Goodbye Rule Of Law

By Andrew Straw May 5, 2022

Congress should impeach judges who act like that because it is not good behavior, and they were asked not to act that way when they were confirmed.

PODCAST: Debating The Future Of Debates

By Jenna Spinelle May 4, 2022

We love a good debate — and have certainly had plenty of them on this show. But how effective are they in today’s media and political landscape?

What “Pro-Palestine” Student Groups Get Wrong

By David Anderson, J.D. May 3, 2022

Back then – as now – this fit into a “colonialist” narrative of European Jews oppressing Arabs – an easy, eye pleasing but intellectually lazy fit.

Examining Government As A “Necessary Evil”

By Gary Berton April 29, 2022

Thomas Paine defines government as separate from society, and indeed if society functioned perfectly there would be no need for government.

Ukrainian And Polish History: Fighting The Empires

By Maxim Sidorenko April 26, 2022

On February 24th, Russia started an unprovoked war against Ukraine. It has become one more attempt of the empire to demolish the Ukrainian state.

PODCAST: What Student Debt Says About Democratic Institutions

By Jenna Spinelle April 26, 2022

In a new book, Josh Mitchell draws alarming parallels to the housing crisis, showing the catastrophic consequences student debt has had on families.

Aging White Men Who Commit Voter Fraud Have Nothing To Fear

By Steve Schneider April 22, 2022

The sentences stand in contrast with the actions of the Governor who recently got the state legislature to create an election integrity police force.

MORE FROM OUR AUTHORS

VISIT OUR POLITICAL ART SECTION:

dc political art

DEMOCRACY CULTURE

Kenyan 'Cartooning For Peace' To Draw Africa Towards Democracy

Kenyan ‘Cartooning For Peace’ To Draw Africa Towards Democracy

May 17, 2022

Cartooning is an art that has been playing a major role in illustrating stories in different ways, from health to politics, and even sports.

Anxious Leaders Influence Their Followers' Anxiety, Even Online

Anxious Leaders Influence Their Followers’ Anxiety, Even Online

May 17, 2022

Organizational leader’s tweets can influence employee anxieties and this effect is more prominent since the rise of COVID-19, study.

North Korea Cracks Down On 'Capitalist' Pop Culture

North Korea Cracks Down On ‘Capitalist’ Pop Culture

May 6, 2022

North Korea has increased its campaign against “capitalist” style clothing, others, in broader crackdown on foreign pop culture.

DiCaprio, Ruffalo Urge Brazilians To Vote, Irking Bolsonaro

DiCaprio, Ruffalo Urge Brazilians To Vote, Irking Bolsonaro

May 6, 2022

Hollywood stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo joined other celebrities making a final push for voters in Brazil to register to vote.

Mock M&M Election Teaches Alaskans About Ranked Voting

Mock M&M Election Teaches Alaskans About Ranked Voting

April 26, 2022

There are paper cups with eight different kinds of M&M near the entrance to Amalga Distillery in Juneau for a mock ranked choice vote.

MORE CULTURE

VISIT OUR US DEMOCRACY SECTION:

American Democracy