Someone I speak with about some very personal things recently asked me about my sense of morality. I’ve always been hesitant about something like this, because people will invariably disagree with me and draw mean conclusions about me from whatever I write.
There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, because I do love to inflame people, especially stupid ones. What I don’t like is how hard it is to properly communicate something so grand like this.
Basically, I think that my life will be lived well if I am a good person. But, you have to wonder what is a good person?
That’s what I’m stuck on. I think everyone agrees, more or less, about most things. I’m not talking about politics or anything – I mean we all know murders bad.
We all know that rape, robbery, everything in a crime sheet or the ten commandments should be avoided. But, no one knows what the virtuous person looks like. What the person who does everything that should be done and nothing that shouldn’t looks like?
I would say I am good most of the time. But, I also do things I regret, I do things I don’t like. I don’t think I’m the only one with regrets though, or who feels bad about something the next despite having no hesitation at the time.
What I always strive to do though, is treat the people I really care about right. I don’t mean just anyone, but those I really couldn’t be without. There are maybe five people outside of my family like that, probably more with whom I get along well, naturally and without consideration of what I’m doing.
I do not feel self-conscious around them and they would all call me a good person. So doesn’t that mean I am?
-Clay
Clayton Tomlinson 