“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself”
Leo Tolstoy
Our attention spans, our bodies, our minds, our jobs, our creativity, our cultures, our ways of life, our land, our peace are all under siege and we have scarce time to realize it never mind react to it. You may feel overwhelmed, anxious, or always feel pressured to do more, for more. Maybe you are stressed, or just fed up, seeking something better, seeking hope. The modern moment is exhausting in ways our brains did not evolve to fight, so take a moment and breathe… Why are you here? What came to mind to bring you? What’s to be done? How can you regain control of your life in a world increasingly trying to exploit you? The first step, is to show up, and move with intention rather than with the flow. Continue through this journey to help live a more ethical life.
Do you know the difference between Morals and Ethics?
Morals are personal. They are your own beliefs, and they guide your own decisions. In many circumstances, morals are the same as personal opinion.
Ethics are like morals but from the point of view of an entire society. For example, in the trolley problem, ethics says save the most people (while looking at the meme from the outside perspective), but morals come into play when you are the one on the lever.
Ask Questions
What are you wearing right now? Khakis? Where’d you get it? Who made it? How did they make it? What is it made of? Businessmen call it the 5 why’s to get to a root cause. Master this exercise and weaponize this approach against most things you consume and use daily, so that you may not be the one consumed.
Baby Steps
You know what questions to ask. You found the answers. Now what? You need not be burdened with decision making for every item and service in your life. You can start small. With some things being as simple as paper or plastic.
Kill Your Demons
Carve these mountains until a river of intention floods the delta and positive change grows. Or, simply kill these demons before they kill you.
“A man motivated by interest cannot be a man of reason” – Kondiaronk 1700