A fantastic TED talk which really got me thinking about moral differences in people. Psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the five moral values that form the basis of our political choices, whether we’re left, right or center. As for me I wish that I could use Sent-Ts’an thinking more often. Too frequently I’m doing exactly what he advises against. The words are simple, but ultimately it is a highly complex and difficult idea to wrap your mind around.
“If you want truth to stand clear before you, never be for or against. The struggle between “for” and “against” is the minds worst disease.”
Moral Foundations Theory
1. Care/harm for others, protecting them from harm.
2. Fairness/cheating, Justice, treating others in proportion to their actions(He has also referred to this dimension as Proportionality.)
3. Liberty/oppression, characterizes judgments in terms of whether subjects are tyrannized.
4. Loyalty/betrayal to your group, family, nation. (He has also referred to this dimension as Ingroup.)
5. Authority/subversion for tradition and legitimate authority. (He has also connected this foundation to a notion of Respect.)
6. Sanctity/degradation, avoiding disgusting things, foods, actions. (He has also referred to this as Purity.)