20. ETHICS AND MORALITY

Morality consists of trying to do what is good or right by obeying the rules of society or a particular group or a particular code of behavior and conduct.

Ethics, on the other hand, consists of attempting to do what is truly good or right in the absolute sense.

In this universe, where the keynote of operation seems to be "To Survive", the definition of Ethics as the contemplation of optimum survival (on all 8 dynamics) as given by LRH would seem to be appropriate.

For a broader definition, we might consider Ethics to be the contemplation of optimum operation on a number of targets where survival is only the first in a series that leads upwards towards optimum creation at the top.

When dealing with a low level target such as survival, we need to qualify it by pointing out that there is more than just the first dynamic (personal survival) in the definition. As we move upwards to a real sense of optimum creation, the need for many unique individuals all of whom are operating at maximum becomes more readily apparent.

If we had contemplated and operated in the direction of optimum creation at the very beginning, instead of sinking into limited and self-centered creation, then we might well have realized the need for many concurrent systems of creation and thereby avoided the reality wars and the subsequent decay into unaware human beings.

Morality is actually a trap. It asks you to hand off your responsibility to the group and stop worrying about what is really right and wrong.

You can tell how bad off a group or society is by observing the degree of conflict between morals and true ethics.

I don't care very much for the Way To Happiness booklet. Its far too human and narrow in its viewpoint. The Scientology code of honor, on the other hand, is a far more worthwhile standard.

Real ethics does require that you put aside your own destructive impulses. You do this because you are working towards higher purposes that are more important to you than your immediate abberated reactions.

This is the true application of "working towards a higher purpose". Never use this to justify the actions you are taking against others. Those acts must stand or fail on their own merits and on the observed effects created. But you should use this to push aside your own narrow viewpoints and short term vested interests so that you can expand outwards and work on a broader scale.

A true ethical standard would not consist of a set of rules to follow. That is morality and it fails in the long run because the rules act as a substitute for actually perceiving and understanding the real world situations that you are confronted with. An ethical standard would be a series of targets to aim for. You need to think out these things in advance because you do not have time to evaluate every factor in an emergency situation.

An ethical standard is a living thing. When you apply one and the dust has settled, you need to go back and look at the effects you have created and any overts that resulted and feed that back into the standard to keep it on track.

An ethical standard is an individual thing. You have to work it out and evolve it for yourself. The best that anyone else can do is to propose things that are sane and helpful.

An ethical standard works in the direction of an optimum condition and that is the underlying target that each portion of it would align towards. Ron has proposed optimum survival as the desirable target. I would push this higher, towards optimum creation and freedom from the trap that we have buried ourselves in. Since I believe that we all get out together and that at the very top we all need each other to contribute to the richness of creation, I would state the target as optimum creation and freedom for everybody, not just myself or a limited group.

This leads to proposing a number of things which might fit into an ideal ethical standard.

1. Do not work to degrade or reduce the awareness of anyone, whether friend or foe.

2. Do not use excessive force in crushing an opponent. Handle what you have to to protect yourself and others and to achieve desirable goals, but do not try to terminatedly handle your enemies so that they will never rise again.

3. Leave people alone as much as possible and do not introduce arbitrary rules and restrictions. Aim towards the minimum amount of regulation which keeps people from killing each other or ruining each other's lives. Work by encouragement and education rather than force whenever possible.

4. Help others by encouragement and support and education. Do this especially for your allies and for those who are also helping others.

5. Help your enemies as well, concentrating on encouraging any desirable traits while rejecting those things that you consider to be truly wrong. Seek to evolve everyone into higher beings.

6. Work to encourage greater creativity, motion, activity, variety, knowledge, understanding, intelligence, aesthetics, awareness, communication, construction, love, honor, and freedom.

7. Encourage multiple sources and different ways of doing things. Learn to enjoy confusion and complexity. You'll need the variety later to keep from going insane with boredom and falling into hubris.

8. Do not try to make others over into copies of yourself. Delight in their uniqueness and individuality.

This is barely a start. See what you can come up with for yourself.