Embarrassing Moments

Things like this has happened to each and every one of us

I moved to a new school when I was in fifth standard. Now this new School was supposed to be the best in Trivandrum, if not in anything else at least in the firang language called Angresi.

So there was this recitation competition. I was like over eager to prove myself in the new surrounding. So there I was waiting in the queue for my chance. Then suddenly I realized that all fellow kids were giving intros. I thought what would I say now. "I am going to sing this poem”?????

Being very intelligent even at that time I decided the best policy is to listen. I listen once. I listened twice. All of them were saying I am going to "DECIDE" the poem or better yet that’s what I heard them say. My chance came. And went on stage and said "I am going to DECIDE the poem “Shadow” by Robert Louis Stevenson" and the entire audience erupted into laughter. I had to live with pet name of "decide" for almost two months.

But it took me much lesser time to learn that u RECITE a poem and do not DECIDE it

Morality and Ethics

Somehow I find it difficult to accept the term Morality. Maybe because of those Moral Science classes in school which tended to prescribe behavior based on conformism.

I would rather love to debate on Ethics one of my favorite subjects in Management. Ethical Universalism (Kant school) and ethical relativism are two schools of thought that people subscribe to.

I believe for any person the ideal thing to do would be take a decision which would prick his conscience the least rather than staunchly holding on to relativism or universalism.
For example infibulations or breast ironing in African countries may seem crude and atrocious from a universalistic perspective but in the social context of these countries it’s perfectly logical. The most important point is being logical. We have been blessed with the ability to think logical. Better use that than base your behavior on some prescriptions.

The problem with Ethical Relativism is that it gives rise to prescript practices. I mean if at a point of time Cannibalism were essential in a particular community to stay alive, that would pass over centuries and we would have cannibals who have no idea as to why they are eating their brother’s flesh. Now that’s what I would called “Blind faith”

The best thing would be Ethical relativism based on constant inquisition on practices based on Universalistic principle. I know that sounds confusing. What I mean is that practices, which we accepted based on ethical relativism, must not become a social custom or ritual. Rules need to evolve. A universalistic good would be ideal but then we have to tread the path of relativistic realism towards the ultimate goal

I would thank Prof. RC Shekhar for giving me clear insights into Ethics from which I could build my own trains of logical thought