Do these things even matter or has their time past? 

It seems that more and more people rationalize bad behavior as a way to achieve their goals.  I think this is a dangerous trend.

Examples of how truth and justice are being manipulated

It seems that everyone not only bends the rules to their benefit nowadays, but they turn the whole game upside down to rationalize their position.

For example, terrorist groups and gangs in various parts of the world justify the use of extreme violence to make their statement against those they perceive as their enemies.  They convince themselves and others that their actions are pardonable because they are acting on the side of truth.

In other examples, we have seen a governor recently impeached for allegedly trying to sell the U.S. Senate seat vacated by President Obama.  We have also witnessed the arrest of Bernard Madoff for an alleged $50 billion ponzi scheme on Wall Street.  Do these men even recognize the error of their ways?  Do they think what they’ve done is wrong?

Closer to home, it is easy to excuse ourselves, but we often engage in behavior that crosses the line as well. 

Ever stole anything or told a lie?  Most of us have.  However, we rationalize it by telling ourselves, “It ain’t that big of a deal.”  But, isn’t it?  Where do we draw the line?

Who is right and who is wrong?  Who decides?  What benchmark do we use to determine what is true and just?  Who gets to decide when things have gone too far?

Two enemies to truth and justice

Is there any such thing as black and white anymore or is everything a shade of gray?  In our effort to be tolerant and politically correct, have we lost truth and justice?

It seems to me that having standards for moral and ethical behavior, in other words, having a clear definition of what is right and wrong, is essential for a society to remain civilized.  However, many seem to subscribe more to relativism.

Relativism – a view that there is no such thing as absolute truth.  Truth varies from time to time and situation to situation.

Is it possible to give too much power to the individual?  Do we let every person decide for themselves what is right?  When taken too far, we allow subjectivism to take over.

Subjectivism – a doctrine that elevates the right of the individual to determine what is right based on what feels good to them without submitting to an outside authority. 

Is letting relativism and subjectivism rule really a good idea?  It might seem so, if things are going your way, but what if the tide turns against you?  Is this a recipe for chaos?

The trend toward fuzzy truth is likely to accelerate

The world continues to become a smaller place.  Technology allows us to communicate, travel and transact business around the world continuously.  Clashes in cultural differences are going to continue.  This makes truth harder to discern.

Ideas travel faster today than ever before.  We have already seen several instances where the media has been duped or misled by false stories picked up on the Internet and elsewhere.

As a society, we seem to have a hesitancy to draw the line.  We don’t want to offend anyone.  It gets tougher everyday to decide what will benefit the most people.

All this compounds the problem of determining what is true and right.

The problem a subjective truth creates

As I see it, it is impossible to arrive at what is fair and just if we cannot agree upon truth.  Truth is the foundation for a civilized existence.  It is the bedrock that our societies are built upon.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 
~ U.S. Declaration of Independence

The Founding Fathers believed certain truths were self-evident.  These truths were derived from a source outside ourselves.  They believed in a objective third-party that defined truth.

If we can’t agree upon truth, then how can we institute a fair justice system?  How do we decide when there is a difference of opinion between opposing parties?  Who determines what is fair?

We cannot continue to let relativism and subjectivism define our way.  These paths will erode everything we have fought and worked to establish.

Where do you stand?  How do you decide what is true?

I’m interested in knowing how you sort out the gray areas.  Do you think there is an absolute truth that is universal or do you think every individual has to decide for themselves?

Where do you see all this heading?  Are we destined for chaos or will justice ultimately prevail?  Whose justice?

How do you decide which side of an issue you are on? 

I look forward to reading your comments!

Photo by alexanderdrachmann