Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Neither the Government nor the Population (6th Draft): FACTORS Part 3.4.1

4. On Socialization:

Every culture and society prioritized and promotes behavior patterns deemed acceptable, thereby promoting a level of unity in deed, if not thought. Morality represents a tool to those ends. Those things regarded undesirable are considered immoral, and discouraged by varied means. Western ideals concerning love and romance are an example. Other cultures would view these as strange or even immoral. Arranged marriages are still the rule in some regions of the world. The barriers may be malleable, but the extreme will almost always invite condemnation. "Living in sin" might be an outdated concept, but marital betrayal is still regarded unacceptable. Penalties may change, but standards erode slower. Adultery might not be punishable by the stocks, but few approve. One failing might be ridiculed, where elsewhere they would be praised for the exact same behavior. Moral absolutes exist only for the nearsighted. One might be best advised to concentrate on true priorities. All else is decadence. Fulfillment comes from within, despite advertisements to the contrary.

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