Recently, I wrote a post for DeafDC.com in which I discussed the concept of ethics as it might apply to the deaf v/blogosphere. You can read this post here.
This post generated considerable discussion and some interesting comments. I want to take a moment to thank all of the individuals who read this post, and especially those who did leave comments.
Trying to summarize the whole concept of ethics into a short 1100-word blog was challenging, since ethics is such a broad topic, which can cover so many different things.
However, I would like to take this opportunity to explain a bit better exactly how I define ethics.
In my original post, I asked whether not we need a “Code of Ethics” within the deaf v/blogosphere. I went on to state:
Ahhh…I can sense the outcry amongst the Deaf Community – “Rules??? We don’t need no bleeping set of bloody rules!!! It’s my v/blog, and I will do as I dang well please!!!” Whoa…slow down. I’m not talking about establishing the “Ten Commandments of the Deaf V/Blogosphere.” I don’t like rules any better than most of us.
As expected, a couple of people did indicate that they didn’t like the idea of setting up rules governing our v/blogging behavior.
I wish to clarify…
I do not support the idea of setting up a “do and do not” list that tells us what we can and cannot do in our vlogs and blogs.
I’ve seen plenty of those lists everywhere, and in most cases I don’t like them.
I don’t believe in a law of memorization – learn the proper list and obey it, and all will be fine.
I don’t believe that everything is black and white, right or wrong, simple and clear cut.
I don’t believe in the creation of a list of rules where every letter of the law is expected to be strictly adhered to, to the point where people lose all sense of reasoning behind the laws, and obedience becomes the highest virtue.
We are human beings, we are not robots.
However, like I said in my post…I do believe that if you are going to put your thoughts, your opinions, and your feelings out there on the internet for the world to see, whether it be via sign language or the written word, that you are responsible for the outcome of such actions.
In another words, you are responsible for the consequences.
This is why I state
Thus it is my humble opinion that as a community, those of us within the deaf v/blogosphere should have an inherent sense of ethics, and strive to maintain a high standard of morality.
I now want to go on record as having said this not only to my colleagues in the deaf v/blogosphere…but as a High Priestess, I also say it to members of the pagan blogosphere as well.
But if we are going to examine the definition and application of ethics to our v/blogging activities, then we need to have some understanding of what ethics is.
Defining ethics isn’t that simple…it actually can be a pretty tough task. Basically, you’re talking about that elusive, subjective concept that supposedly makes us “civilized.”
Let’s see if I can break down the general definition of ethics to make it a little easier to understand:
- The discipline dealing with what is good and bad or right and wrong or with moral duty and obligation
- A group of moral principles or set of values
- A particular theory or system of moral values
- The principles of conduct governing an individual or a profession; standards of behavior
- Character or the ideals of character manifested by a race or people.
When we look at this definition, we can see that the concept of ethics is formed around the concepts of morality, behavior, and character. Another definition of ethics found on the web basically tells us that ethics is:
A set of standards that tells us how we should behave.
I would now like to offer up my own perspectives on the definition of ethics:
Ethics are not rules.
Ethics are not laws carved in stone.
Ethics are not a “do and don’t list” forced upon a group of people, who are then told to either “follow this list or you’re going to hell.”
Ethics are beliefs. Ethics are values. Ethics are standards.
Ethics is that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you’ve done something good for yourself or for someone else. Ethics is that guilty, sickening feeling you get in your stomach when you know you’ve done something wrong.
Ethics is that little guy who sits upon your shoulder and tells you what you should do. Sometimes he’s dressed like an angel. Other times he looks more like the devil.
An ethical structure is not a line with a beginning and an end. It is more like a sphere, with different parts that fit into each other like a puzzle. Each part is important; each part influences and is influenced by the other parts.
A Code of Ethics is a living, breathing document that is meant to change over time as you change – as your perspectives, your values, your morals, your standards, your principles and your behaviors change.
A Code of Ethics is different from a legal code. You cannot enforce it like you can legal laws or hard rules. You can only offer it up as a gift to yourself and to others as living tool, with the hope that someone will find such ethics to be helpful on their journey to a better life.
This sculpture shows the sign for "connect"...and that is what Deaf Pagan Crossroads is all about - making connections. Connections between Deafhood and Paganism, connections between the Deaf Community and the Hearing Community, connections between myself as the writer and you as the reader. I hope you will take the time to read my various posts, some of which are listed below. Welcome to the Crossroads, and I hope you make some connections here!
Like the ten commandments, only applicable to christians… ? One man’s ethic is another man’s oppression. It is idealistic, not realistic, human nature will always out… It would be nice to have roses around the window and sunny, balmy days, with a cool drink and loved one on hand, but this usually goes under fiction not fact…
I’m not sure I understand what you are trying to say here.
It seems as if you are implying that ethics are a dirty word or a bad thing…and we’re better off without them.
I don’t get the feeling that Ocean is trying to say that ethics are rules or commandments or whatever…
In fact, I get the feeling she is trying to say the opposite.
Everyone has a sense of ethics. And they will differ from person to person. My sense of ethics will be different from yours, different from Ocean’s, different from anyone else who reads this post. Doesn’t make them right or wrong; it just helps to define this person here named Hawk, and what his personal set of values are.
Nor are my ethics all about roses and sunny days and lemonade.
And if our ethics define who we are, and we are living, breathing, real life people…then how can you say that ethics are fiction?
I see nothing in this post that defines what those ethics are supposed to actually be…nothing that says “thou shall do this” or “thee must not do that.”
So can you explain to me exactly what you see here that seems to indicate that ethics are commandments?
Are ethics idealistic? Well of course they are! They are based on a person’s own set of ideals…own view of what s/he sees as that set of standards.
All I am getting from you, MM…is someone who doesn’t want to be told what he can or can’t do, and is putting up a defensive argument to state such.
That’s fine…nobody’s telling you what you can or can’t do. All of us have to decide that for ourselves. We have to decide for ourselves what we consider to be good or bad, right or wrong.
I don’t see anything wrong with that…I’d like to see more people doing such.
I think without ethics, chaos would reign. Every civilization has had rules, laws, codes, guidelines, etc., so people can live in harmony with one another. That doesn’t mean that everyone agrees with all of the laws, rules, etc. It just serves to keep the peace. Why do you think the laws, Ten Commandments, etc. came about? Because things were getting out of hand, and the way to establish order was to say “God said such and such”, or “we voted on this law, and now it is”. I agree some rules oppress, but I think that everyone is born with an idea of “right” and “wrong”. Like, I believe most people would agree that murder is “wrong” in most cases. However, we still have to have laws saying it is.
I understand what Osh is trying to get across here. I think.. LOL
Hello,
I liked the post at DeafDC and here. What you wrote echoes what I believe in now that I am an atheist. Just because I decided to go without a divine presence in my life DOES not mean I am free to toss away what is right or wrong. Granted, my right and wrong are vastly different from what they used to be when I was a fanatical Baptist preacher but they are my morals that I am willing to live by. Excellent work, Virginia!
Why don’t you consider taking up vlog post and express those awesome ideas in ASL so that Deaf with not so great (chuckle, don’t like to say that but…) English can join the discussion and learn/teach each other? Cool idea? 🙂
Hi from this ‘Hearie’. 🙂 You are a deep thinker. To me, ethics are pretty simple. Just be kind to each other. Jesus summed it up. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
Simple however, does not mean ‘easy’. It isn’t always easy to follow your ethics. But when all is said and done, the only thing a person has which defines them is what they have done and not done; what they have said and not said throughout their life.
I’ve heard ‘integrity’ defined as ‘Still doing the right thing when doing that would harm you the most, and when doing the wrong thing would benefit you the most. And no one would ever know about it but you.’ A person of integrity still does the right thing.
What is the ‘right thing’? I think we all know right from wrong, instinctively. Paul said it best in the bible. I am paraphrasing here. ‘We all know right from wrong, deep down inside us. God put that knowledge within us.’ Anyway, ‘Nuff said!’ (Stan Lee always said that in Marvel comics.) 🙂 Cheers.
Hi to you, John! 🙂
Yup…sometimes I think I get a little TOO deep with my thinking!
I think you summed it up very nicely.
I liked your definition of integrity.
I do want to bring up one thing, if I may…while certainly a person’s religious training and beliefs will often have an influence on their sense of ethics, I do think that it is possible to have a sense of ethics no matter what your own spiritual path might be.
It’s like Oscar said…just because you are an atheist doesn’t mean that you are free to toss away what is right and wrong.
Buddhism, in the strict sense of the religion, is non-theistic – meaning that it does not practice a belief in any specific God. Nevertheless, Buddhism has a strong ethical code that its practitioners strive to follow.
But I still think you are right, John…deep down inside us we do know right from wrong. It’s up to each and every one of us to practice that knowledge.
Thank you for your comment, and feel free to come back and visit here at the Crossroads!
🙂
Nothing wrong with some deep thinking Ocean. We have way too much superficial thinking via T. V. Thanks for your comments.
I agree. I believe everyone has a sense of ethics no matter what their spiritual path is. My uncle used to say that more wars and violence have been committed in the name of religeon than he could think of. He was right.
But there is a big difference between religion and faith.
Anyway, I think many religious ideas of God as a boss figure handing out favors and punishments is very limited. What is the reality of the situation? 🙂 Got me. But it’s fun trying to find out, isn’t it?
This discussion is a bit ‘light’ (I can understand that !), It’s not about being told what to do and what NOT to do par se, I agree with SOME ethical values and SOME Morals, but not them all. Nobody follows any of the ‘standards’ 100%. Never HAVE.
I will use an example but do NOT want to widen the debate away!), in that the moral and ethical values of a Christan society toward say, homosexuals, or womens rights and the Islamic moral and ethical values toward that, are totally different, then you are putting one person’s ‘ethical viewpoint and value above someone else’s. Wars start because of this. God, is usually on the side of the winner….
Each has a moral and religious right to their values as they see them, you can only, suggest people follow yours as you believe they are the right ones, but you have to respect the fact others will totally ignore it. This debate is an ‘IN one among fellow people who broadly have the same values, but even here there is dissent. Deaf/deaf ? just one issue among many that throw up challenges to ethics and values, and that old stand by, ‘respect..
I’d like to use one example for the need for ethics… check out Lois’ vlog (http://www.lois4.com/PetPeeve.html) and after seeing the vlog, click on “sign my guestbook”. I see the need for ethics… respect. Age has to do with it, yeah, but wow… also Ridor’s latest blog, an attack on Lois and he bluntly said he was looking forward to the day Lois’ voice became “silenced”… not very ethical. We all have our opinions and we need to listen and realize whatever we say, come from ourselves and we cannot try to manipulate other people… failing, trying to bash and make examples of them.
I really liked your post.
I am a Catholic but I have very good friends who are Pagan and I hang out a lot with them. I actually have more in common with my Pagan friends these days as fair as certain beliefs. I follow the social gospel of Christ and to many Catholics that makes me a bad Catholic. I have an open mind.
There is far to much judgement and hate in this world. I am a dreamer and idealist. I believe in fate and each of us making a difference in the world.
My friend and I were talking the other night about Ethics. I think Ethics is something within you. I think most of us know the difference between right and wrong. We all have some inner voice that tries to speak to us and get us to act by our higher nature and not are darker nature.
We were saying that we see a change in people. It is not the same world that many of us boomers grew up in. We didn’t have computers, cell phones, microwaves etc in the 60’s. We played outside in nature. I was on my horse and having a great time and we didn’t go home until the sun started to set. I think kids today in many cases have lost close contact with nature. I think that is sad.
With computers our world I think is dehumanizing people. We don’t look in people’s faces anymore as computers have really changed the way people interact with each other. That I think is bad in that once we start dehumanizing people we find that it is easier to hate others because we have not had the human contact of looking in each others eyes.
I think the answer lies is trying to understand each other better as people and not forget to enjoy the finer things in life that make us happy. The time we have on this earth should be spent in love. Make good memories while we are here.
I was in the store the other day and I saw mother after mother on the cell phone, and her kids trying to get their attention but they were to busy talking on the phone. I wanted to say you don’t need your cell phone in the store. There was a time that we didn’t have cell phones and went shopping with the kids without one and had a great time. Turn off the phones and spend some quality time is what I would encourage the younger generation to do, but I try not to give advise unless asked so I remained silent.
Anyway, I really liked you piece and wanted to send best wishes.
Hi Chrisy ~
Thanks for your comment… you make some very good observations that I agree with. I think you’re right – our society has gotten too technology-focused, to the point where we are straying further and further away from having contact with ourselves, with each other, and with the world around us. While modern technology can certainly be a great thing, at the same time I do worry that it is creating changes that may not necessarily be in our best interests.
I think we do need a balance somewhere… a way of utilizing technology in a beneficial manner without sacrificing all the important things, such as spending quality time with others and with nature.
One of the things that I try to do with many of my posts is to show that while there may be some fundamental differences in the beliefs and practices of the various religions of the world, there is also much that we can agree on. I think you will find that a Pagan agrees just as much with the concept of “Thou shalt not kill” as a Christian or a Jew does.
Thank you for visiting here at the Crossroads, and I do hope you will come back again soon.