Edge of Morality

It is human nature to believe that what we do makes perfect sense, even if it needs to be rationalized, and things that we don't do are not reasonable, even if it is popular.

Examples I can come up with off the top of my head that make no sense to me include diving off cliffs, using heroin, and pulling wheelies on motorcycles. It is highly unlikely I will do any of those things in whatever life I have left to live. Others, though, may find these things exhilarating, even if they must rationalize why doing these things makes perfect sense.

Losing a Friend Over a Premise and Projection

It is really difficult for me to find people who are able to discuss things like universal construction or existentialism, which is understandable. It is much easier to find people who will discuss social issues, but it seems that many people do not want to discuss resolutions as much as they want to argue their political ideologies. I find, for the most part, that people's political ideologies are more about popularity than about reasonable solutions. I also find that most people concern themselves with their own comfort more than they do about the plights of others. 

That is all fine, but I don't agree with the philosophy of selfishness. Not only do I not agree with it, but I will also never concede that one person's rights are greater than another person's rights because of their circumstances. This isn't something new to me. I have always tried to see things from as many points of view as I can imagine so that I don't make the same mistake most people make, which is believing their perspective is the only point of view that matters.

Malcolm X: A Lesson for White People

As a beneficiary of white privilege, I have no standing (or street cred, if you prefer) to write an article about Malcolm X from any other perspective than that of an enlightened admirer of the man. I do, however, feel justified in writing an article about him for the purpose of encouraging people of my race to reconsider their prejudices and preconceived notions about him.

Many white people today consider Black History Month as racially charged and unnecessary. That is unfortunate because history as we learned it in school was from the white man’s perspective. I have been guilty myself of minimizing in the past things like slavery, segregation, and black militancy. I like to think of myself as somewhat enlightened on these topics today, and hope that others who have not sought the light themselves will consider doing so. Many white people claim our race is discriminated against these days. If they relate what many of them claim to feel on a societal level, and magnify it a thousand times, it still wouldn't equal the mistreatment people of color have endured throughout this country's history.