In a scene from ‘Breaking Bad’ (great show, check it out) two of the main characters, Walt – a chemist involved in some illegal activity and Hank, a DEA officer discuss how odd it is that sometimes what’s legal this year is illegal next year.
It just shows how the line is blurred between legality and morality. Sometimes things that have no moral problems are illegal, while hugely immoral things are perfectly allowed and accepted.
So here Cracking Ace rounds up a few things that people do regularly because society says that it’s the right thing to do, (or the ok thing to do) even though it has no reason to be seen as such.
Thinking Legal=Moral
Slightly touched on in the opening section, some people do make this mistake.
People think that because something is illegal, that makes it wrong or vice-versa.
How about in some places in Africa where being homosexual is illegal? Some readers might be in agreement that it is wrong to be gay, but I don’t count myself among that crowd.
If it is or isn’t wrong is not a case of whether it is legal. It’s a matter of morality. As someone who is keen on equal rights for everyone, I’d say that there is nothing wrong with being gay.
So, the legal system that punishes people for being so is clearly wrong and immoral.
So here we see an example of legal=immoral.
Closer to home, we have people in business who think it’s perfectly fine to squeeze the public for every penny that they can in the name of profit.
In some sectors it’s a standard rule to take the cost of producing an item, times it by four and add on twenty percent to find the retail price.
And apparently that’s OK. That’s just the way it’s done. If the customer can’t afford it, it’s their problem. What kind of world is that!?!
On the other side, the examples used in ‘Breaking Bad’ are drugs and alcohol. The two men are enjoying beers as they talk and Walt mentioned that not that long ago, during prohibition, what they were doing that lazy afternoon would be illegal.
Wearing Smart Clothes
This is a huge pet peeve of mine. People are always saying, “dress smart for your interview”, “dress smart for work”, “Oh, you’re meeting someone new, you must dress smart”.
So I have to get all trussed up in a shirt and trousers, that are always a bit uncomfortable and with pockets a bit too small for my phone, so it looks like I have an inappropriate bulge all day. Then the shoes that don’t have any grip and aren’t cushiony enough, just because apparently some other bugger is going to look at me and judge me if I’m not sporting this garb.
I say they’ve got mental issues.
Why the hell does putting on an outfit that I don’t like, isn’t comfortable and is hardly even practical make me suddenly a professional, intelligent and respectable individual?
I’ve got much more respect for people who wear comfortable clothes that they like and/or serve a purpose. It shows that they have better things on their mind than trying to impress idiots who for some reason won’t give you the time of day if you’re improperly dressed.
What would happen if there was some kind of disaster or I needed to go on a sudden adventure while wearing those useless, shiny shoes and trousers with tiny pockets? I wouldn’t be able to climb mountains or carry my weaponry! I’d be in deep trouble! The zombies/dragons/demons/Nazis would get me! I’ve got no time for that!
The other problem I have with it is this: what is smart? Surely it’s another opinion thing? It changes with fashion and culture.
If I were to wear a monks robe to a business meeting, it should be perfectly smart and respectable, but it’s not because it’s in the wrong context.
If I were to wear a Tudor ruff and codpiece to a posh restaurant, they might ask me to leave. Why? It’s an incredibly smart outfit or is it so outdated that it doesn’t count any more?
In a couple of hundred years, people will look at suits and tuxedos in the same way and there’ll be something else considered ‘smart’.
Let’s hope it’s combat trousers, trainers and tee shirts.
Waking Up Early
“Get up early. You’ve got more of your day to get things done.”
Shut up. I can just stay up later, like my body clock tells me to.
“You’re still in bed at 10? You lazy thing!”
Shut up. I stayed up til 4am so I could get things done. I’ve actually had less sleep than you moron.
Late risers have this ridiculous reputation as being lazy good-for-nothings. It’s not true (in all cases).
We just have a different sleep pattern.
It’s the people who get up in the morning who need to take a look at themselves. Waking up, bleary eyed, shuffling to the bathroom to splash water in their face in the vain hope it might force their brain to switch on. Then pouring cup after cup of coffee into their system to try and shock it into action with caffeine and sugar.
That routine just shows that you should not be awake.
While the late riser, happily removes them self from bed at a reasonable hour, ready for the day ahead with enough hours of sleep behind them to be comfortable.
There have actually been studies into this. Late risers aren’t inferior or lazy. Some tests actually say that late risers on average have a higher I.Q. than morning people. It’s a by product of evolution.
It goes way back to the Stone Age where early birds would get up to gather food for their camps, while night owls would stay up late and guard the camp while the others slept.
Working 9-5
Related to waking up early a little bit.
First you drag yourself out of bed and then you haul yourself into a job that lasts the lion’s share of the day before slinking back home to try and milk some enjoyment out of an evening in which you are invariably tired out.
Repeat daily. Except weekends when you either rest some more to recharge for the week ahead, or say “Damnit, I’m gonna enjoy my day” and go out and wear yourself out even more.
There’s a lot of unemployment going about. Why not cut work days in half and have two people doing the work of what is currently done by one?
If we stop the business-folk marking up prices ridiculously then things should be affordable AND people have more time for themselves and their needs: rest, socialising, family.
9-5 days are one of those things that people in the future are going to look back at and think “How barbaric.”
Listening To People In Authority
Some people seem to think that because a person is their manager/boss/president or other authority figure that they are automatically right about everything and any opposing opinion you might have is wrong.
This is rubbish. Somehow, idiots and evil-doers often get into positions of power. They might spread ignorance either unwittingly or purposefully and because of their status, it gets swallowed by the public.
The subtitle here is missing a little bit. It suggests that you should never listen to authority. Obviously that’s silly. You can be led by someone, but that person should earn your trust first and not demand it. You should question their ideas if you aren’t sure and if they don’t make sense you should ignore them. Progress can only happen if people stand up for what is right rather than go along with what they are told. Case in point: every revolution ever.
Living For Money
Some people live to work, when they should work to live.
More money, more money, more money!
What good is the money rolling in, if you have no time to enjoy it?
Then this type of thinking is what makes good people go bad. It makes people with businesses bump up their prices a bit more.
It’s not just at a personal level though. This is a thing that society does at a whole. The word Capitalism is basically describing a society that is driven by capital i.e. money. Everything that is done is geared to making more.
The name Socialism (it’s in the name) has the nice idea that countries should live to improve society.
It’s in the names! It’s like calling one thing Goodism and one Badism.
Unfortunately Goodism can never work because there are too many baddies about to spoil it. So some Middleism is required.
I hope one day society sees sense.
