"the Truth at any cost"

Thursday, May 31, 2007

A Moral Question

To some extent, it seems we choose what we like. This isn't always the case, as we all have some guilty pleasures that we just can't resist indulging in once in a while.
However, it is true that our surroundings and ourselves greatly influence what we enjoy. I, for example, don't like any sports except hockey. And I think this has little to do with how I was at birth or that hockey and I were meant for each other or something like that. It is because I was raised in northern Wisconsin, where hockey is like little league, and I played it for 10 years. I associate fond memories of going to see the North Stars and winning hockey tournaments.
And in my adult life, we seem to have some control over what we like as well. I convinced myself to like coffee, for example, and to enjoy going to plays and music recitals. And its not really like I am lying to myself, because I actually do now enjoy those things, when there was a point when I consciously decided to enjoy them. Maybe it could be argued that the enjoyment was always there, but was only 'latent'. (Well shut the hell up, Freud.)
So what does this have to do with a moral question?
My question is, ought we, as much as is in our own power, decide to enjoy hobbies that are ethical? To some extent we do this, for example when you recycle and you get that warm feeling inside like you are 'making a difference'.
But I am talking about a more radical version of this--for example--let's say I am considering taking up a hobby, because I have some free time. Could someone be morally faulted (though probably very slightly) for taking up photography, which uses all kinds of toxic chemicals and is in some respects wasteful, over organic gardening?
Now if someone has a passion for photography, that is a little different--as I said, certain pleasures we cannot choose, and we can't feel bad about that. But I am talking about someone who is, as of now, neutral as to which hobby to choose. Is it even slightly obligatory for a person to consider ethical factors when choosing something like a hobby?
Truthfully, this is probably not a very relevant question, because very seldom is there an 'all things being equal' about pleasures. But I ask because it has come up in my life a couple times, and I didn't know if contemplating the minute ethical differences was really worth it.

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1 Comments:

Blogger Melissa Ward said...

I think what is important is that one is responsible for whatever activity they choose to do. You're right that photography has some nasty by-products, but if the waste is disposed of properly (and through a company that doesn't just chuck it in the river for you) then it's probably all right.

However, if your hobby is to smoke hookah until you can't see straight and then go driving the wrong way down the interstate, then maybe that hobby needs to be reconsidered.

5/31/2007 7:45 PM  

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