Greetings Friends and Neighbors, This is the third installment in a series of letters written back and forth between two heartbroken activists, beginning with Radical Hospitality and Mutual Aid. The story Sam tells in that second letter, Mutual Aid,
I'm still reading here, but I wanted to chime in immediately after reading "We are circling around questions of neighborliness: "Who is a neighbor and who is a stranger? And what are our moral obligations to each, accordingly?"
Recently, I'm experiencing a Very Strong Hunch that our modern / Western conception of ethics and morality as centering on what our "obligations" are to one another has been a gigantic error. There is some talk within contemporary ethical philosophy called "ethics of care" or "care ethics" -- generally coming out of a feminist framing. But I find most or all of it rather superficial -- lacking "soulfulness" -- or shall we instead call it "embodied presence".
I've come recently to call every bit of "ethical discourse" centering on obligation as "obligation ethics". And I keep noticing, over and again, that "obligation ethics" is centered on shame, guilt and fear (such as the fear of punishment, either in "this world" or "the world after".) Obligation is basically synonymous with "duty". One does one duty mainly to avoid punishment in this world or another.
It's worth noting that centuries of obligation ethics at the helm of modern ethics has done NOTHING to avert outrageous abuse, exploitation and harm. Indeed, it has become a fetid swamp of disgusting evils.
But what if we enter into relationship, rather than to threaten punishment ... and expect people to "fall in line" "ethically" for fear of punishment. This, in all depth of sincerity, is the quest of inquiry (questioning) which has begun to turn my world right side up, finally.
Generosity, kindness, love, compassion..., none of these have the least thing to do with a fear of punishment.
I'm still reading here, but I wanted to chime in immediately after reading "We are circling around questions of neighborliness: "Who is a neighbor and who is a stranger? And what are our moral obligations to each, accordingly?"
Recently, I'm experiencing a Very Strong Hunch that our modern / Western conception of ethics and morality as centering on what our "obligations" are to one another has been a gigantic error. There is some talk within contemporary ethical philosophy called "ethics of care" or "care ethics" -- generally coming out of a feminist framing. But I find most or all of it rather superficial -- lacking "soulfulness" -- or shall we instead call it "embodied presence".
I've come recently to call every bit of "ethical discourse" centering on obligation as "obligation ethics". And I keep noticing, over and again, that "obligation ethics" is centered on shame, guilt and fear (such as the fear of punishment, either in "this world" or "the world after".) Obligation is basically synonymous with "duty". One does one duty mainly to avoid punishment in this world or another.
It's worth noting that centuries of obligation ethics at the helm of modern ethics has done NOTHING to avert outrageous abuse, exploitation and harm. Indeed, it has become a fetid swamp of disgusting evils.
But what if we enter into relationship, rather than to threaten punishment ... and expect people to "fall in line" "ethically" for fear of punishment. This, in all depth of sincerity, is the quest of inquiry (questioning) which has begun to turn my world right side up, finally.
Generosity, kindness, love, compassion..., none of these have the least thing to do with a fear of punishment.
With open heart, brother James.