Monday, August 02, 2004
Everything is Relative?
I heard someone again say that "Everything is relative!" in defense of their particular value system.
I thought it peculiar to use an absolute statement to defend one's theory that relativity is the rule. It'd be the same, in my opinion, as saying emphatically that, "There are no such things as absolutes!" One has to utter an absolute statement to state one's non-belief of absolutes.
I'm a "live and let live" person. That might lend you the impression that I can handle some "relatives" in life. You do your thing: I do mine. It also implies that I can live in peaceful coexistence with surrounding differences. Although the implications of these statements I make here lean towards a relative nature, is it possible that underneath my words the solid foundation of an "absolute" is holding the premise together?
I can live around your differences until they impose upon my own differences. If you want to steal my stereo out of my house, our values are going to clash. I'm not going to let you "do your thing" in that instance (if I can prevent it, of course).
Chances are really good, too, that you don't want me ever stealing any of your stuff out of your house. Although you may claim a "relative way" of looking at life, there seems to be an inward law in all of our hearts that leads us to some absolute conclusions in our outlook.
Buried in the seemingly relative ideology of our overall outlook is a lingering absolute that cements a core belief--"Thou shalt not steal." I won't steal from you--you don't steal from me.
I hear society calling for some absolutes as answers for many of the problems today, but not many people want to lead the procession for an absolute answer. It's not politically-correct; it's old-fashioned; it's old-school; yadda, yadda, yadda.
In trying to please everyone with an absolute answer, many will not be pleased as a result. There are no easy answers anymore for us today as a planet in turmoil with all of it's complexity in issues. Band-aid approaches are only working temporarily in many instances.
I can only cling to some absolutes I deem worthy as a way to deal with it all. Any more than that and I get lost in the maze of things.--and that's the absolute truth!
I thought it peculiar to use an absolute statement to defend one's theory that relativity is the rule. It'd be the same, in my opinion, as saying emphatically that, "There are no such things as absolutes!" One has to utter an absolute statement to state one's non-belief of absolutes.
I'm a "live and let live" person. That might lend you the impression that I can handle some "relatives" in life. You do your thing: I do mine. It also implies that I can live in peaceful coexistence with surrounding differences. Although the implications of these statements I make here lean towards a relative nature, is it possible that underneath my words the solid foundation of an "absolute" is holding the premise together?
I can live around your differences until they impose upon my own differences. If you want to steal my stereo out of my house, our values are going to clash. I'm not going to let you "do your thing" in that instance (if I can prevent it, of course).
Chances are really good, too, that you don't want me ever stealing any of your stuff out of your house. Although you may claim a "relative way" of looking at life, there seems to be an inward law in all of our hearts that leads us to some absolute conclusions in our outlook.
Buried in the seemingly relative ideology of our overall outlook is a lingering absolute that cements a core belief--"Thou shalt not steal." I won't steal from you--you don't steal from me.
I hear society calling for some absolutes as answers for many of the problems today, but not many people want to lead the procession for an absolute answer. It's not politically-correct; it's old-fashioned; it's old-school; yadda, yadda, yadda.
In trying to please everyone with an absolute answer, many will not be pleased as a result. There are no easy answers anymore for us today as a planet in turmoil with all of it's complexity in issues. Band-aid approaches are only working temporarily in many instances.
I can only cling to some absolutes I deem worthy as a way to deal with it all. Any more than that and I get lost in the maze of things.--and that's the absolute truth!
