Ethical Dilemma?

Hey Guys!

Something new to blog about!

I was in a chat room the other day (hey - don't judge me, no-one was on msn!) And one girl from Australia asked me if I'd mind filling out a survey for her religious studies assignment. I had nothing better to do with my time, so I obliged.

In short, it was a questionnaire that asked my opinion on many ethical issues that divide the masses. Two of the most difficult issues were abortion and euthanasia - I was still thinking about them hours after I'd emailed the survey back. I did however, finally, come to a conclusion.

Abortion and euthanasia are incredibly sensitive issues, and both bring a lot of trauma to those who have to come into contact with either of them. When I tried to decide whether or not either should be allowed, I realised that I really can't decide. They both have such strong points on either side of the argument that it is near impossible to come to an impartial conclusion - one ethic that is superior to all others - one moral that everyone should live by.

Therefore, why decide? Why should we try to pick out that single ethic? When you look at the diversity of race, culture and belief in the world, it seems a stupid idea to try to make everybody conform to the same moral rule.

Take my opinion for example. I really tried to imagine how I would feel if I was pregnant yet not ready for children, and I struggled to decide whether I would ever consider abortion. I then realised that I'll never be able to make that decision unless I actually face it. Ultimately I know that I would end up basing that decision upon how I felt, as my feelings would be the only consequence of that decision for me. Sure people would possibly judge me, but again, with the diversity of opinion and belief surrounding the subject it is certain that I would be judged by somebody, whichever choice I made. In the end, I would just have to make the decision that I thought I could live with the most easily. After all, I'd be the person who'd have to live with it for the rest of my life; the people whom thought that their opinions should govern my decision would move on and find someone else to "advise" the second my decision was made.

My decision however could be completely different to one faced by someone in exactly the same situation. She could do exactly the same as me, deal with the problem using exactly the same method and base her choice upon her feelings - but she could still end up making the completely opposite choice.

So Which one of us would be right?

Whichever of us made the decision that matches your beliefs of course. But your beliefs will be completely different to somebody else's, probably even someone else who leaves a comment on this blog. So which one of you is right? Looks like we're back to square one.

When you think about it, as long as we'd both made the decisions that were absolutely right for us personally, who’s to say that either of us made the wrong choice? Why should someone else’s ethic or belief rule over the feelings of someone who actually faces the situation?

The purpose of this post is not to say whether abortion or euthanasia is right or wrong, but to convince you all that maybe there's no right or wrong answer to either. In the end both are incredibly personal matters, and as far as I'm concerned, if opinion, belief, faith and most importantly human emotions can stretch to both answers, the governing ethic should too.

The Present

Hey everyone!!!

I realised something the other day. It was a lovely dusky evening (spring is here - yay!) and I was struck with an impulse to go for a walk as it got dark. As I was walking, I was bombarded with different smells - hot tar, freshly cut grass, suburban garden flowers, takeaway aroma and hot tree sap - just to name a few! Anyway, they all had a huge effect on my emotions (as smells do) and brought back so many memories, it was unbelievable. These all being quite summery smells, I was transported back to all of the feelings of excitement, relaxation, freedom and general UV-induced happiness that I'd felt before.

I couldn't decide though - is that a good thing? Is it nice to re-live the emotions that I experienced years before, or was the recognition in my stomach just a horrible, blind yearning? It was hard to tell - I liked the smells, but as hard as I tried I couldn't enjoy them for what they were, and what they meant to me at that time - all I could was think about what had been happening the last time I'd been aware of them, and although the memories made me feel happy, experiencing the same emotions in a diffrent context made me feel a little upset.

Every single summer, I yearn for the previous summer, fully aware that by next summer I'll want the current one back. Although I'm aware of this, I still can't make myself enjoy these long summer days as much as I'd felt I'd enjoyed the ones I'd had the year before. At first, I thought that the awareness of this yearning syndrome was enough to erase it, but just knowing about it is'nt enogh to know how to deal with it.

I've finally figured it out.

The past is romantic, and even if you try your hardest to be realistic, its very hard to swap your rose-tinted glassess for your new sunglasses (If my weird metaphor makes sense!) Its not the memories of it that make it romantic however, it's the fact that it has already gone, and will never be coming back that makes it so desireable. The longer ago it happened, the more disconnected it becomes, and consequently it begins to feel like a fantasy (and we all know how much better than real life they are!)

Thats not the only thing that gives the past a warm glow. All the things that happened then are out of control now - and you never have to deal with any of the descisions you made then again. You've already formed its pattern - its little course has already been set, and going back to that is a more comfortable Idea than the threat of having to make new descisions - descisions that you will only know the outcomes of when it's too late to change their consequences. Who wouldn't want to live in a time that has already been dealt with, with a guarantee that everything works out fine?

I'ts ironic when you think about it - we all strive to have, and to be in control, yet the dea of never having to exercise it is so attractive.

Anyway, the purpose of this (rather long if you ask me!) post, is to convince y'all to relish that control, and to not be scared of it. After all, if the past looks so attractive, the chances are you'll do just as well as before. Also, remember that the past was as uncertain in the past as your present is at present.

Controling your life is effective of living it - and (as my title clearly states!) you only live once so mjake the most of it. Not everyone has the freedom to choose how they live, but make your life worth living (and the present more bearble) by remembering that as long as you live, you have a past, present and future, and that your actions contol all of them - so enjoy carrying them out!

Cat ;-)

Freedom!

Hi everyone!

I've found something else to rave about - Freedom!

How fantastic does it feel to wake up, and know that the day is yours to do whaever you want with it?

I felt strangely cheerful when I was on the bus the other day (I was on the way to the dentist - why shold I be cheerful?!) and it took me a while to work out why, until I realised that it was the feeling of liberation. I was going to the dentist appointment that I made, on the day that I chose to make it, and at the time that I wanted. Whats more, despite it being only march, the sun was streaming in through the window, reminding me of summer.

Summer is my favourite time of the year - a couple of months of sun cream, ice cream, shorts, sunglasses and, the best bit, sunshine! I am a total sunshine girl. It also brings with it that fantastic afore-mentioned feeling of freedom; waking up and changing your mind about what you're going to do with your day three times before even getting out of bed!

To top my bus journey off, I was listening to "learn how to fly" by the foo-fighters a song guaranteed to make anyone smile! What with that, the sunshine and the knowledge that i could do whatever I wanted in town after having my tooth drilled out, I was ecstatic!

Anyway, the purpose of this post is to convince y'all to assert your freedom. Freedom gives you the opportunity to make yourself happy by doing whatever you want, so use it! Freedom of choice, freedom of speech, freedom of vocation, whatever - make the most of it 'cause its how you use your freedom that makes you who you are.
See ya ;-) xx

Smiling

Seeing as this is my first post, I thought I'd set the tone!
The purpose of this post is to convince y'all to smile more.
It's raining outside my window as I speak, its the middle of the wonderful British winter, and I'm giving up animal products (which includes one of my good friends, chocolate) for lent. However, I'm still smiling because I CAN!
Don't forget what a great tool smiling is aswell! According to my meticulous, extensive research, I have found that a smile can get you pretty much anything. It's also not bad at getting you out of anything! (I've carried out research on that too!)
Don't for a second think that I'm naive. I know what it feels like to never want to smile again - but doesn't everybody? So before I attatch a soundclip of "The sun will come out tomorrow", I'll go - but check me out again here cause not all of my posts will be this relentlessly cheery, I can be intelligent too! (I resisted the temptation to spell "intelligent" wrong, just in case you didn't get the Irony!)
Bye! ;-)