I've been thinking a lot lately about what the world (or... my world) would be like if I always answered any request with "yes." This week has been a really spiritually intense week, and as of right now, I'm trying this experiment of answering "yes." It's really quite strange, because it has really opened a lot of doors for interesting opportunities in the past few days. I feel as though I've participated more in the forming of my own life, and I like this fact. Now, I realize that there are lots of reasons why this personal philosophy could fail, and why people would be against it, because I, too, do not believe it to be "complete."
I am, interested, however, in the ethics of "yes" and in the creation of a system of "yes." Is this system possible? Can such a system stay in line with ethics? Of course, the following request will come from my conspiritors here at E&E, "will you go kill so-and-so" or some various form of the same question. But do limitations need to be placed upon such a system of yes? I am currently undecided on the issue, because it seems to me that members of such an ethical system would have no reason to request ridiculous things such as murder or violence, because, under the ethical system, if asked, they themselves would be required to perform such actions. Is an ethical system only valid within itself?
I suppose that I am looking for a legitimate way to encourage myself to really just live in the moment and accept the world around me as it is, and love the people in my life.
Answers? Questions? Requests?
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3 comments:
Well, Jason, we all understand the issues with attempting to create a complete system...
You'd have to go deeper into what exactly this ethical system of yes is, but my initial reaction is that no, it would not be a viable ethical system. An ethics of "yes" would just be another universal ethical system that is ignoring the Other (bear with me, I've just come from discussing Levinas). Basically by saying yes to everyone you are ignoring the unique situation and the unique person you are adressing, and I'm not sure such a blind, anti-individual system would be all that ethical. Also, you would get into the issue of where to draw the line between care for the self and care for the other. An ethical system cannot be entirely self sacrificing because if you do not care for yourself, how can you care for others? (Also, why are you only interacting with others of your ethical system?)
However, if this system of "yes" is actually a way of saying that you are going to try to respond to the unique ethical demands placed on you at all times, then I fully support you. Best of luck.
I like the ethics of yes. But let me ask you something: why are you "looking for a legitimate way to encourage myself to really just live in the moment and accept the world around me as it is, and love the people in my life"? Why wouldn't that be a self-authenticating enterprise that you don't need a legitimation for? Funny how we make things so complicated (and trust me, I KNOW what I'm talking about here; maybe it's the philosopher's disease; maybe Wittgenstein was right!!).
I think the ethics of "yes" sheds light on an important *attitude* that we should embrace, but I'm afraid that it would be insufficent as a complete system. The attitude of yes represents an openness/willingness to lay down the self for the sake of others. However, acting in the sake of others will sometimes require a no... but I think the idea that yes should be our default -instead of no- is a great way to start.
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