Your Moral Compass - helping to see the other perspective

I love UTNE Reader. Some will say its pompous and academic. Or that it has a decidedly Liberal view (true). Either way, every month there is a gem in the writings within that makes me think. The Sept/Oct 2009 issue's cover story proclaims the end of attack politics (will never happen), and the story behind it was awesome, only because it is the clearest example of foundational impulses we all have that make up our views on the world - our morals and values if you will.

Jonathan Haidt, a University of Virginia scholar makes the case that liberals and conservatives inhabit different moral universes, though there is some overlap in belief systems, there are huge differences in emphasis. To make his point, he developed a framework that codifies humankind's morality.

Which way you land on these five moral impulses gives a good indication of where you will fall on the liberal-conservative spectrum.

HARM/CARE: It is wrong to hurt people; it is good to relieve suffering.
FAIRNESS/RECIPROCITY: Justice and fairness are good; people have certain rights that need to be upheld in social interactions.
IN-GROUP LOYALTY: People should be true to their group and be wary of threats from the outside. Allegiance, loyalty and patriotism are virtues; betrayal is bad.
AUTHORITY/RESPECT: People should respect social hierarchy; social order is necessary for human life.
PURITY/SANCTITY: The body and certain aspects of life are sacred. Cleanliness and health, as well as their derivatives of chastity and piety are all good. Pollution, contamination and the associated character traits of lust and greed are all bad.

So when the Pope rails against materialism, he's speaking up for the traditional purity/sanctity view. Of all five moral impulses, this one causes the most friction it seems, between cosmopolitan liberals and traditional conservatives. It seems to me to be the root of the gay marriage battle, and before that the abortion rights fight. I can see if someone is hard wired to believe that living a higher more noble life, beyond the more individually focused life of the 21st century, then this compass could tell you the values shifts we see taking place today are wrong. They're not wrong. They're simply evolving with the changing times.

As a Canadian living in the US I can see some differences in how the Canadian social system is based on universally caring for all, versus the more "everyman for himself" values I see here. That is at the root of the differences in our health care systems. No judgment intended here, just observation. "Socialist" gets thrown around a lot in the media right now about the notion of a publicly-funded health care system in the US. To me that's just taking care of each other. Just a different view of true north on the moral compass. Taking the time to understand what's behind how we roll up into our views of the world makes the rhetoric of the polarizing arguments even more pathetic!

Take the test and see where you land, at: www.yourmorals.org

Turkey day

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends and family. Today is Thanksgiving Sunday, and tomorrow is a stat holiday in Canada.

Why is the day we celebrate Thanksgiving different in Canada and the US? Did the pilgrims hit land above the 49th parallel then head back out to sea only to hit land again south of the 49th six weeks later? It has never made sense to me.

Anybody out there know why this is?

But I can tell you here in the US of A turkey day signals "the holidays" which amounts to a six week period between turkey day and New Year's Day. The vibration in everyone slows down. And already now (I noticed it last weekend actually) there are Christmas ornaments for sale in the Hallmark store. When I asked the clerk about it she told me they start putting stuff out for Santa's arrival in July. No wonder by the time the end of December arrives I am over it all!

So, anyone know the significance of why Canada and the US eat their celebratory turkey in thanks 6 weeks apart?