0:06 - The True History of Morality
1:30 - The Nature of Double-think
3:31 - The Pattern of Moral Hypocrisy
4:03 - Examining Moral Exceptions
4:56 - The Call to Awareness
In this lecture, the speaker explores the historical and philosophical underpinnings of what is commonly referred to as morality. The discussion begins with a thought experiment about theft, illustrating how the existence of property rights serves to create a competitive advantage for thieves. The speaker posits that if only one person in the world engaged in theft, they would benefit from an absence of security measures; however, if theft were universally practiced, society would collapse under the weight of mutual deprivation. This leads to the conclusion that to excel as a thief, it becomes advantageous to propagate a moral framework that discourages stealing among others, thereby reducing competition and enhancing personal gain.
The analysis continues with a deeper dive into the mechanisms through which ethical systems are constructed and maintained. The concept of 'double-think,' as articulated by George Orwell, serves as a lens through which the speaker examines the inconsistencies in moral reasoning that are often employed by those in power. The lecture contends that ethics, virtue, and morality were not conceived out of altruistic intentions but were instead devised as tools for social control and manipulation. The speaker asserts that the foundational structure of moral codes is predicated on establishing universal principles which, conveniently, those with power are exempt from following.
The lecture proceeds to highlight how various forms of social and governmental authority manipulate moral language to deflect scrutiny over their actions. Using examples such as taxation being reframed as a legitimate practice versus theft, or warfare being justified under the guise of protecting freedoms, the speaker illustrates the hypocrisy inherent in moral proclamations enforced by the state. The central thesis posits that moral frameworks are typically devised to disarm individuals and societies, allowing those in power to engage in behaviors they deem acceptable while criminalizing similar behaviors in others.
In a striking conclusion, the speaker challenges the audience to critically assess moral imperatives presented to them. By encouraging individuals to inquire who benefits from moral exceptions, the lecture uncovers a pattern of control exerted by governing bodies that ultimately infringes upon personal freedoms. The assertion that the true function of morality is often to establish a facade of universal standards while maintaining privilege for the elite serves as a call to arms for listeners to adopt a skeptical perspective on moral laws and their applications in society.
Through compelling reasoning and vivid examples, this lecture encourages listeners to critically engage with the frameworks of morality that govern their lives, revealing how these constructs can be employed to perpetuate power imbalances and societal dysfunction. The message emphasizes the importance of awareness and critical thinking in navigating the complexities of moral discourse in a world where freedom and control are in a constant state of tension.
[0:00] This is the true history of what is commonly called morality.
[0:07] If you were the only thief in the world, imagine how easy your job would be. There would be no locks, no security systems, no passwords, no police. You could just take stuff and people would probably just assume they lost it. On the other hand, if everyone in the world was a thief, everyone would half-starve. No one would create more than they consumed in the moment because it would just be stolen.
[0:35] So, if you want to be a great thief, the greatest, perhaps, your best strategy would be to convince everyone else to stop stealing. Not because you think theft is wrong, you are, after all, a thief, but because you don't want the competition. Thus, the most brilliant thieves invent property rights to make theft easier and more profitable. If everyone is a counterfeiter, money is worthless. If you want to be a great counterfeiter, the greatest perhaps, your first step is to convince everyone else that counterfeiting is immoral, wrong, evil, and must be punished. Then, you must convince everyone that your own counterfeiting is moral, good, virtuous, and must be rewarded.
[1:31] This is what George Orwell called, Double-think.
[1:36] In order for us to accept such madness, the wheels of our minds must first be broken, by indoctrination, by government, schools.
[1:48] Ethics virtue, morality. These were not invented and inflicted from any desire to spread goodness, but rather to disarm and enslave others, to disarm and enslave you.
[2:08] The sequence is always the same. Invent a universal standard of good behavior and then create an invisible exception for yourself and your friends by calling it something else. Thou shalt not steal. Okay, all right, theft is wrong. Thus, those in power have to call their theft taxation. Thou shalt not kill. Okay, all right, murder is wrong. Thus, those in power have to call their murders wars. No kidnapping. Okay, all right, kidnapping is wrong. Thus, those in power have to call their kidnappings incarceration. Violence is wrong. Okay, all right, using violence to get what you want is wrong. Thus, those in power have to call their violence spanking or laws.
[3:06] Do you see the pattern? Create a universal moral rule and then create an exception for yourself and your friends. It's very easy to test this theory, walk up to an average citizen and ask him if using violence to solve problems is good. He will say no. Point out that the state initiates force all the time in the pretense of solving problems.
[3:31] He will immediately start to defend the state. It is inevitable. People defend moral rules and then defend the most blatant violations of those same moral rules. This is how we are controlled. This is how we are propagandized. This is how money dies. This is how freedom dies. This is how we die.
[4:04] If someone gives you a moral rule, the first thing to do is to examine not the rule, but the exception. Who is not bound by that rule? Who gets to do the exact opposite? It will always be those in power. That is why moral rules exist. Any thinker who actually tries to apply universal moral rules universally is considered insane, bizarre, Ridiculous. Because the purpose of universal morality is the exception, the violation.
[4:43] Governments disarm citizens by denying them weapons, while retaining monstrous weapons in the hands of the state. It is the same with morality.
[4:57] Open your mind. Open your eyes. We can only avoid the traps we can see.
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