Everyday Ethics

Although this site is properly devoted to philosophical questions, it also seeks to offer the reader something with regard to how we might learn from and apply ethical principles to our daily lives.  As the presidential election quickly approaches, moral questions concerning health care, the Iraq war, economics, and a host of other relevant everyday issues begin to emerge, though they are rarely discussed in moral terms. 

 I want to share with you, the reader, an important realization that I had while watching the presidential debates last week.  The major party candidates are trying to win.  I know, sounds obvious, but the fact is that before we make a decision about who to vote for, we should take a moment to ponder the significance of this conclusion, simple as it may be.

 Consider the possibility of two candidates who are simply trying to be as clear and accurate as possible about what they believe, what their plans are, and why they think their approach to governance is the right one.  Each candidate presents themselves as they truly are, and we the people decide who we want. 

 Notice that this scenario is quite different from the reality we experience, two people who continuously walk the line between being themselves and trying to say the right thing in order to get enough votes to win.  Deception is built into the process because the candidates are trying to win.  One would like to believe that there is some moral axiom among politicians that they will make every effort to allow the people to choose who they want based on merit and preferred viewpoints.  But this can’t happen as long as both candidates are trying to win, making the whole political endeavor something of a sham.

 What does this mean for you, the voter?  First, it means that whatever any candidate says should probably not be taken at face value.  The goal of political communication is victory, not clarity, and voters are best served by evaluating the past record of the candidates for themselves, rather than listening to deliberately skewed information.  Sound bites, campaign ads, and even political debates are more likely to deceive than help, for the simple fact that clear and honest communication isn’t the goal.

 This realization is also helpful for the voter turned everyday individual.  In our own personal interactions, there are often situations where we can direct our communication toward either personal gains or clear and honest communication.  If it upsets you to know that political candidates are trying to win, it should probably be upsetting when you do this sort of thing yourself.  We are left with a puzzling mantra for our culture of constant striving.  But perhaps “don’t try to win” is a piece of folk wisdom that we would all be wise to adopt.  It would certainly make the presidential election more productive. 

About the Author

Elijah Weber is a graduate student at Bowling Green State University. He holds a Master's degree in philosophy from Colorado State University, and Bachelor’s degrees in sociology and philosophy from Chapman Univerity. He currently lives in Bowling Green, Ohio with his wife Laura, his newborn son Brandon, and his feline life-partner Monte.