Prompt: Human Rights vs. Majority Rule
I am a firm believer in "to each his own". I honestly don't think that it should matter to people, including employers, what sexual orientation their workers are. as long as the work is getting done and the people aren't trying to force their views on you, what does it matter? if we discriminate on sexual orientation or any other thing for that matter, we are abolishing the ideals that founded America. I do, however, acknowledge that it takes efforts from both sides to make this work.
The world is changing, and ideas should change with it. Just because a person may be gay doesn't mean that a gay teacher is going to teach your children how to be gay. If they work in a factory, are they going to contaminate the products or equipment with their "gayness"? No. Most gay people do not even bring their private life outside of the home, just like straight people. They are not out preaching homosexuality to anyone. They are living it in their own time.
I have a gay cousin, and it kills me to see her discriminated against because of it. She has been fired from three different jobs. The underlying reason has always been that she is gay. In all three jobs, she did not let it be known in the beginning. She eventually fought these people and became much stronger and open because of this. She realized that if you hide it, people are going to think worse of it. The more you hide it, the worse it must really be. If more gay people were just upfront about it, it wouldn't be as big of a deal.
Wth cooperation on both sides, this issue does not even have to be a big deal. Ultimatelty, it should not matter in the work place as long as the work is getting done. With more employers not making it a big deal and more gay people being upfront about it, there will be more tolerance in the workplace. This tolerance could then stem out into other aspects of life. It took work with different religions, and the same can be done with sexual orientation.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
What it takes for me
Prompt: Right or Wrong?
I think that it is in everyone to be an absolutist when it comes to morality, but we are relativists when we actually apply it to ourselves. We as a society have put absolute right and wrong on the back burner. We all know deep down what is right and wrong, and we know what should be done. But, we find ways to justify wrongdoing when we want it to benefit ourselves. We also ignore what is right when it hinders us from doing what we want to do. We often end up having inner dilemmas about what to do.
There are many cases in which people can change absolute morality into relative morality. Apolino's arguments, especially argument four, give exapmles. Everyone knows that it is wrong, to commit murder, but numerous people do it every year. When asked, most of them actually have a reason for doing it. When people perjure in court, they do it do help keep themselves or someone close from being punished.
I do believe in absolute morality. I think that there is a set notion of right and wrong for everyone. I feel that inside, I am an absolutist. When there is any question about what is right or wrong, I know what is right. If I feel that I would benefit more from or have more fun doing what is wrong, I change things around or just ignore it to make it acceptable in my eyes. In this process, I become a relativist.
I have done many things that are wrong, but I have rationalized them to be accepted as right (at least in my eyes). For instance, I know that it is morally wrong to smoke cigarettes. It can cause a number of problems for you and the people around you. I smoked for around six years, knowing that it was wrong. I rationalized by telling myself and those around me that I did it only when I was stressed. I also recognized aloud that it was wrong and tried to make it seem ok by telling people that I was quitting soon. Eventually, I just ignored the fact that it was something wrong. I think that I conditioned myself to think that it was ok. My absolute view of right and wrong took over in the end, and I quit. Something that I still do to this day that I know is wrong is lying. I know that it is wrong to lie, but I do it on a daily basis to make things ok. If a friend gets a bad haircut, I tell them that it looks great so that they won't feel self-conscious. If someone cooks something for me, I always tell them that it tastes great so that they don't feel bad.
It is in us all to do what is right, but it is not always that simple in most situations. We have to look out for ourselves and others when making decisions, and that often leads to abandoning what is really right. We all do what is wrong at times, but I guarantee that we will all have an explanation or justification for what we did. We can turn our situations into whatever we want them to be.
I think that it is in everyone to be an absolutist when it comes to morality, but we are relativists when we actually apply it to ourselves. We as a society have put absolute right and wrong on the back burner. We all know deep down what is right and wrong, and we know what should be done. But, we find ways to justify wrongdoing when we want it to benefit ourselves. We also ignore what is right when it hinders us from doing what we want to do. We often end up having inner dilemmas about what to do.
There are many cases in which people can change absolute morality into relative morality. Apolino's arguments, especially argument four, give exapmles. Everyone knows that it is wrong, to commit murder, but numerous people do it every year. When asked, most of them actually have a reason for doing it. When people perjure in court, they do it do help keep themselves or someone close from being punished.
I do believe in absolute morality. I think that there is a set notion of right and wrong for everyone. I feel that inside, I am an absolutist. When there is any question about what is right or wrong, I know what is right. If I feel that I would benefit more from or have more fun doing what is wrong, I change things around or just ignore it to make it acceptable in my eyes. In this process, I become a relativist.
I have done many things that are wrong, but I have rationalized them to be accepted as right (at least in my eyes). For instance, I know that it is morally wrong to smoke cigarettes. It can cause a number of problems for you and the people around you. I smoked for around six years, knowing that it was wrong. I rationalized by telling myself and those around me that I did it only when I was stressed. I also recognized aloud that it was wrong and tried to make it seem ok by telling people that I was quitting soon. Eventually, I just ignored the fact that it was something wrong. I think that I conditioned myself to think that it was ok. My absolute view of right and wrong took over in the end, and I quit. Something that I still do to this day that I know is wrong is lying. I know that it is wrong to lie, but I do it on a daily basis to make things ok. If a friend gets a bad haircut, I tell them that it looks great so that they won't feel self-conscious. If someone cooks something for me, I always tell them that it tastes great so that they don't feel bad.
It is in us all to do what is right, but it is not always that simple in most situations. We have to look out for ourselves and others when making decisions, and that often leads to abandoning what is really right. We all do what is wrong at times, but I guarantee that we will all have an explanation or justification for what we did. We can turn our situations into whatever we want them to be.
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Perception
Prompt: Perception
I like to think of myself as a person that does not have very many biases or prejudices. I am very open minded, and I like to look at boths sides of everything before passing judgment. I have noticed a few prejudices in myself though.
One in particular is my prejudice against people that dress certain ways. If I see a man in baggy clothes or a woman in very tight clothes, I can't help but think poorly of them. The words "ghetto" and "trashy" come to mind. If I see people like this, I generally don't speak. I think that working in a popular, preppy clothing store has only helped this bias along. The people that work in Hollister have developed a reputation of being snobby and judgmental. I do find myself judging everyone that walks in the store by the way that they are dressed. I even judge people that I see outside of the store.
With this being my main bias/prejudice, I'm sure that this distorts my perception the most. Clothes do not really make a person, but they do in my eyes. I know that underneath the clothing that I have labeled as ghetto and trashy, there are sometimes people with great personalities. This is a truth that I keep myself from because of the way that they are dressed.
If I think even further, it is possible that the greatest bias or prejudice that I have is the thought that I don't have very many biases and prejudices at all. I have made myself believe that I am the most liberal, open-minded and accepting person around. This in itself could be a bias. It could be me distorting the truth that I am actually very biased, prejudiced and judgmental. Maybe this is just me distorting the fact that I am, in reality, a very prejudiced and opinionated person.
I guess that I'll never know for sure what the reality is about myself. I think that Gorgias and Socrates were right. I think that I have distorted my own perception of who I am beyond the point of truth. Other people may see me for who I am, but I cannot. Because of my own opinions and biases toward myself, I cannot see what others see. I cannot see the real truth.
I like to think of myself as a person that does not have very many biases or prejudices. I am very open minded, and I like to look at boths sides of everything before passing judgment. I have noticed a few prejudices in myself though.
One in particular is my prejudice against people that dress certain ways. If I see a man in baggy clothes or a woman in very tight clothes, I can't help but think poorly of them. The words "ghetto" and "trashy" come to mind. If I see people like this, I generally don't speak. I think that working in a popular, preppy clothing store has only helped this bias along. The people that work in Hollister have developed a reputation of being snobby and judgmental. I do find myself judging everyone that walks in the store by the way that they are dressed. I even judge people that I see outside of the store.
With this being my main bias/prejudice, I'm sure that this distorts my perception the most. Clothes do not really make a person, but they do in my eyes. I know that underneath the clothing that I have labeled as ghetto and trashy, there are sometimes people with great personalities. This is a truth that I keep myself from because of the way that they are dressed.
If I think even further, it is possible that the greatest bias or prejudice that I have is the thought that I don't have very many biases and prejudices at all. I have made myself believe that I am the most liberal, open-minded and accepting person around. This in itself could be a bias. It could be me distorting the truth that I am actually very biased, prejudiced and judgmental. Maybe this is just me distorting the fact that I am, in reality, a very prejudiced and opinionated person.
I guess that I'll never know for sure what the reality is about myself. I think that Gorgias and Socrates were right. I think that I have distorted my own perception of who I am beyond the point of truth. Other people may see me for who I am, but I cannot. Because of my own opinions and biases toward myself, I cannot see what others see. I cannot see the real truth.
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