The Ultimate Resolution?

Yet another new year celebration approaches accompanied by the annual resolution parade. Too often these resolutions to exercise more, cut calories, and accomplish our overdue goals are full of high expectation as they fade faster than our digital calendars can update.

Perhaps the best resolution to make is simply to daily renew our resolve to think and act better toward attaining good outcomes. To that ends I present you with a handful of positive ethical systems that you can further research and revisit (links provided). Then, gradually, bit by bit you can incorporate better ways of thinking into your world view and daily routine as you judge fit. Each of these brings reason and compassion together with the intention of enabling ourselves to set goals that improve ourselves, our communities and the planet on which we all spin.

Atheism. Let's get this one out of the way. There simply is no good evidence that any supernatural beings exist, period. Yahweh, Zeus, Mohammed, The Flying Spaghetti Monster, Xenu, etc. etc. Religious stories are parables with a pinch of history at best (very potentially with lessons to learn from) and deliberate misinformation incorporating cultish Ponzi schemes at their worst. Getting past the indoctrination can be a difficult climb. With patience, reason conquers the wishful thinking, mysticism and mythologies. Nevertheless, atheists, including myself at times, can get too distracted with countering religious claims. Yes, religious nationalism and cultural indoctrinations need to be challenged, but there is a time to leave the god debates behind and focus more time on moving forward ethically. 

Scientific skepticism. This is the meat and potatoes of understanding the world better. The scientific method, when applied with integrity, clarifies how reality works. Although some might claim scientific findings are neutral ethically, because logic and authentic information are establishing truths, scientific skepticism is inherently an advocate against misinformation. Since scientific findings are at the foundation of creating technology that can enhance or destroy, there is also an implication that reflection upon the relevant outcomes is also of high importance.

Secular humanism. This world view is a solid follow-up once one has shaken off the panoply of religious indoctrination the human mind has spawned. Humanism has diverse positive ethical tenets that grow out of the basic idea that real purpose is of human origin. Generally, the movement encourages the betterment of humankind at its core with significant consideration for the environment, if only to support the thriving of society and the human individuals here on Earth. If secular humanism has an innate flaw, it might be that it overvalues the human presence in the whole of things, without considering impacts outside of the human experience.

Sentientism. A step beyond humanism, this ethical position supports the sustained thriving of all conscious beings, not humans alone. Cultural indoctrination has to a degree made the human-being sacred even though the spectrum of sentient beings certainly extends beyond our species. Humans, however, are uniquely powerful and positioned to be stewards of a healthy planet for all life in balance. A good start to being ethical along these lines is to pursue a vegan lifestyle which aspires to eliminate human created animal abuse whether for food, research, entertainment, or any other poor excuse. Watch Dominion if you have any doubt that your purchases of meat, dairy and eggs are funding animal abuse.

Stoicism. Not to be confused with the stereotypical emotionless "stoic," stoicism is a reflection philosophy intended to ratchet up personal virtue. Classic forms of stoicism do claim there is a natural epitome of virtue, which feels to me like a form of deism, wherein an absolute morality has been baked into the universe. In my opinion, the ethical journey is a personal one, and training ourselves to find happiness in bettering ourselves and feeling good about doing the right thing is a cornerstone of the process of stoicism. 

Of course there are many additional and rational ethical systems to explore and merge into your personal world view. I hope this short list inspires you enhance your personal journey on a daily basis. It is up to each of us to develop the ethical systems we live by to be the best they can be. 

Research, reflect, and reconsider the best ideas you find and then take action aligned with those findings toward attaining goodness for the self, for humanity and for Earth as a whole. Yes each and every one of us can resolve to do better!

Come January 1st, and the next day, and day after that, know you can wake up, shake off the blahs and resolve to begin anew the incredible opportunity it is to live each day with joyfully compassionate and well-reasoned intention!