Everyday ethics: Keep it simple [Opinion] – Reading Eagle

There's an old piece of advice that remains as relevant today as ever: Keep it simple; it will get complex all by itself.

This wisdom is especially important during confusing times when information explodes, lies are repeated so often that facts get lost, and people don't trust authorities or any rules established by them.

If you want an example, take the resistance to wear masks or even getting the COVID-19 vaccine. People dont trust the state or science and wont take precautions even when these might save their lives or those they love.

We seem to be living in separate bubble universes, watching and reading only those sources that already support what we believe, and talking to those with whom we already agree. It's gotten to the point when many are afraid to speak their thoughts openly, particularly in situations where it is not known what others believe.

Face it, it's a toxic environment for the free flow of ideas, the major need of a democratic society. No wonder we have gridlock, conflict, and no compromises. We aren't speaking to one another, laying our cards on the table, so to speak.

In the name of personal freedom, we resist any rules, even those proposed to keep us safe. But a country of more than 300 million people cannot exist long with 300 million rules. Any functioning society needs some agreed-upon rules, such as you need to be a certain age and pass a test to drive a car.

Theres an interesting summary about cultural factors that set the tone for how countries respond to change, which social psychologist Michele Gelfand explains in her book "Rule Makers Rule Breakers: How Tight and Loose Culture Wire Our World."

Gelfand begins by noting how important culture is in our lives. It is omnipresent, affecting us all the time. But it is mostly invisible, meaning we barely understand how powerful it is.

She then shows how social norms or rules govern our lives, but notes there are two general types of cultures, one she calls tight and the other loose. Tight cultures are the ones where the rules are clear and generally followed. Loose cultures are ones in which freedom takes precedence over order, with rules relaxed and often resisted.

By and large, Gelfand suggests our society reflects a loose culture in which rules are few and seldom followed. The result is that people resist rules. even those designed for their own benefit.

Her argument is not that one cultural system is better than the other, but that different rules can be applied to different situations, such as during the pandemic we are in, more tight rules need to be applied even in a loose culture, such as ours.

I'm mostly concerned with a few basic rules for living together. There are very simple rules upon which the majority of us could agree, such as respecting others and practicing compassion.

There one rule, in particular, that seems to undergird all others. Its called the Golden Rule. It requires us sometimes to give up our personal freedom to protect others. Its a basic, universal rule for a society to function.

John C. Morgan is a retired teacher but still a writer. His columns appear every Wednesday at readingeagle.com.

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Everyday ethics: Keep it simple [Opinion] - Reading Eagle