Neither

No Right or Wrong.

With no emotions, feelings, moralities put into these thoughts… I think there is no such thing as “right or wrong” because if you think about it, not one thing has always been “wrong” throughout history. Standards change and evolve to suit those who are living. At one point it was “okay” to decapitate one’s head, have several wives (although in some cultures today it is still accepted) or even throw your own child into the river on the basis of gender. We look at these actions, shake our heads, or even exclaim, “NO! THAT IS WRONG! THAT IS UNJUST! HOW COULD THEY BELIEVE THAT WAS RIGHT?”

While no, I am not defending or claiming they were right, I only would like to point out that as time progresses, people have different needs, and in order to meet them. Today, more girls survive and are kept after child birth because their social standings have risen, therefore being “worth” more. Applying this to today’s standards, girls are often seen showing more skin than necessary especially during the summer heat, but look back a couple hundred years, showing your ankle was an indecency, much less *shock* your shoulders! We may look at it and laugh, but may I ask you, Which is right? Which is wrong?

To me? Neither. As I’ve already mentioned, times change and moralities evolve. We now live in a world where we can speak for ourselves, make our own choices, violence is frowned upon, technology is part of our day to day lives, and GIRLS RULE ( okay, maybe that’s just my world :] )

Social Darwinism states for the “survival of the fittest” The world is still turning, new ideas are constantly forming, situations are continually changing. We look around and believe we are “right” but so did every other civilization. One day people will look back on our lives and frown upon the way we lived, but does this mean we were wrong? No, it just means that we grew up with certain lifestyles, instilled with similar moralities that may one day change in order to keep up with the advancing times. Its either we choose to keep up, or choose stay within the familiar. Now, which is right or which is wrong?

Neither.

So my question to those reading this, how are we to judge other lifestyles, other people, or other beliefs (ie Brave New World) when we have never lived their lives or grew up believing what they believe? Are they necessarily wrong? Or for lack of a better phrase, just "different"?



--Trisha Janelle