Welcome
In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.
H. H. Dalai Lama XIV
Welcome to my new blog on ethics & social responsibility in the 21st century. The above quote is intended to establish the tone.
The “here” in question doesn’t truly refer to this blog; I have never had the honor of meeting H. H. in person and, of course, he doesn’t even know that I exist. However, I hope for this blog to become such a place where a positive vision can be developed and, in doing so, inspire people into positive action.
It is my belief that morality is a deep-seated instinct of our social drive. We wish to be accepted and loved, while immoral action causes one to be resented and pushed away by one’s peers. However, the mental cruft that makes up the ego causes us to stray from this path and causes our social groups to accept or even glorify negative actions against people on the outside.
It is my intention is to inspire discourse and reflection on what morality is and why ethics and social responsibility are essential, especially in our increasingly connected modern age. We now live in a world in which the effects of a person’s actions can ripple out, through unfathomable chains of events, at levels that traditionally only the most powerful and influential people have been able to cause.
The internet gives the average citizen the ability to publish anything, allowing them to praise the good and vent about the bad. The morality of little people can be held high, while even the most secretive of hurtful actions by business execs or government officials may be brought out in hopes of causing moral consequence. Conversely, a hurtful citizen can easily be publicly disgraced, while the businesses and governments that do good and just can be given a glowing reputation.
I hope that from my own digital soapbox, I can inspire people to do better, no matter where they already stand on the moral scale. I no longer judge success based on money, influence or “things”, but instead based on the impact you have on the world around you.
When the inevitable comes, will you be leaving the world in a better or worst state than when you entered it? It’s not too late.
E.A.Coolidge on Philosophy 
“There is nothing more profound than a simple gesture of trust and respect.” (I posted this on another website last evening. I put the words but not their meaning together. It is, in my mind, a somewhat universal truth that what we do can support or disprove what we say. I hope that my own actions can more often support my more “noble” aspirations.) Thank you Evan for starting this blog, I hope to read more in the future.
Thank you very much for your support.