Do Morals change with a situation

[said]

Every poster on Q local rushes to respond to various queries with a high level of morals and responsibility. That is easy - you just publish what you believe is right while sitting in a nice comfortable environment.

But what if you are not in that environment. What if you are actually faced with having to make a choice on moral behaviour? For example - you are out in your car, no other cars on the road, no other people about - and suddenly you hit someone in the road. You do not know if they jumped out at you, or you just lost concentration for a second. The unfortunate person in the road is moving. You should stop and check them over and call an ambulance if necessary, that is the moral thing to do. But that could mean the Police would be involved - you could lose your licence, lose your job, you have a young child who is disabled, and your wife cannot work because of looking after your daughter. You may even be given jail time. Would this test your morals?

What if you are lost at sea in a small boat, you have been drifting without oars for a few weeks and you are all starving and becoming very weak, one is just hours away from dying from starvation. Do you continue just drifting, and hope in the last few moments of your life a ship will come and save you - or do you decide that if two can survive at the cost of the weakest, then that is also morally right?

Just how morally strong are you really, given any situation?

[jamyramy]

well morals can never escape your karmas.you have to live by your truth,and what is true and right to do.however in the extreme of your take ,well as a spiritualist ,once spirit has left the mortal,thenif your adrift in a boat with no available sustenance then the ,its ok to survive on the available protiens,as it no longer is occupied by souls essence ,just the suit left.,and a gift left in time of need.

[MICK/GILLY]

I suppose it depends on the circumstances and things are not always as they seem.

Well I suppose it was dark and raining and no one was around when I turned into a side road on the way back to the factory 26 yrs ago that I was skiving from, yes I said skiving, you see on the night shift we used to go out for lunch to get chips then come back and clock off for lunch, anyone watching you return would assume you were clocking back on after being out. I had been out to the chippy on an unofficial break let’s say. Just as I turned into a side road there was a loud bang and I stopped immediately to find a chap in his twenties sprawled out on the road in front of my car, I was shocked and wondered where he had come from as the junction was clear to turn and visibility despite the dark and rain was good. He was lying there saying things like ahhhh ohhh me legs and I suppose they would have been hurting as he cracked my bumper with his shins so I asked him could he stand up and he said no....... but I felt something was off, I couldn’t put my finger on it, call it a feeling if you like.
I said “ come on mate you are getting up “, I don’t know if it was the Adrenalin kicking in with the stress of the situation but I was able to lift him to his feet quite easily and now he was stood there rubbing his knees, I asked him would he like to go to hospital as I would take him and suggested he got in the car, we drove a very short distance, he said he didn’t want to go to hospital and the conversation turned to compensation and his whole attitude and demeanour picked up... that feeling I had was getting stronger so I told him he probably wouldn’t get much from my insurance but seeing he was basically ok I suggested that I compensate him but I would have to go to a cash machine for a small amount as a token of my regret for the incident, he agreed.
So first I had to go back to the factory where I worked, with him in the car to get my card, the security asked what I was doing and so I had to go to the clock and clock off for lunch ( appearing to be clocking back in, it was a night shift ), yea I did say I was skiving. I got back to my car and drove to the cash machine and by this time the chap seemed quite chirpy and expectant looking.. I gave him £20 and dropped him off in town,,, just as he was getting out of the car he said that just that morning he was in court for being in the road suspected of jumping out in front of cars for money/ compensation and he was now off to spend the £20 I had given him on some weed.
From the first second I saw him I felt something was off and you should always trust your gut feeling, I told him if I ever see or hear from him again I would run him over properly and make no mistake.
He must have been lurking in the shadows as I turned into that side road as despite the hammering down rain and the dark, visibility was good and there was no one around let alone crossing or in my path as I turned .

And as for being adrift in a boat, this has never happened to me but if it was a guy with me I would have eaten him .

[Ceam]

But what if you are not in that environment. What if you are actually faced with having to make a choice on moral behaviour? For example - you are out in your car, no other cars on the road, no other people about - and suddenly you hit someone in the road. You do not know if they jumped out at you, or you just lost concentration for a second. The unfortunate person in the road is moving. You should stop and check them over and call an ambulance if necessary, that is the moral thing to do. But that could mean the Police would be involved - you could lose your licence, lose your job, you have a young child who is disabled, and your wife cannot work because of looking after your daughter. You may even be given jail time. Would this test your morals?

REALLY!

I'm guessing the fact you're even asking the question, yours aren't very strong.

[Hamble]

I do not like killing god's creatures normally though I had no qualms 5 mins ago about encouraging Mr Hamble to electrocute a wasp wandering on the computer keyboard.

[said]

I suppose it depends on the circumstances and things are not always as they seem.

Well I suppose it was dark and raining and no one was around when I turned into a side road on the way back to the factory 26 yrs ago that I was skiving from, yes I said skiving, you see on the night shift we used to go out for lunch to get chips then come back and clock off for lunch, anyone watching you return would assume you were clocking back on after being out. I had been out to the chippy on an unofficial break let’s say. Just as I turned into a side road there was a loud bang and I stopped immediately to find a chap in his twenties sprawled out on the road in front of my car, I was shocked and wondered where he had come from as the junction was clear to turn and visibility despite the dark and rain was good. He was lying there saying things like ahhhh ohhh me legs and I suppose they would have been hurting as he cracked my bumper with his shins so I asked him could he stand up and he said no....... but I felt something was off, I couldn’t put my finger on it, call it a feeling if you like.
I said “ come on mate you are getting up “, I don’t know if it was the Adrenalin kicking in with the stress of the situation but I was able to lift him to his feet quite easily and now he was stood there rubbing his knees, I asked him would he like to go to hospital as I would take him and suggested he got in the car, we drove a very short distance, he said he didn’t want to go to hospital and the conversation turned to compensation and his whole attitude and demeanour picked up... that feeling I had was getting stronger so I told him he probably wouldn’t get much from my insurance but seeing he was basically ok I suggested that I compensate him but I would have to go to a cash machine for a small amount as a token of my regret for the incident, he agreed.
So first I had to go back to the factory where I worked, with him in the car to get my card, the security asked what I was doing and so I had to go to the clock and clock off for lunch ( appearing to be clocking back in, it was a night shift ), yea I did say I was skiving. I got back to my car and drove to the cash machine and by this time the chap seemed quite chirpy and expectant looking.. I gave him £20 and dropped him off in town,,, just as he was getting out of the car he said that just that morning he was in court for being in the road suspected of jumping out in front of cars for money/ compensation and he was now off to spend the £20 I had given him on some weed.
From the first second I saw him I felt something was off and you should always trust your gut feeling, I told him if I ever see or hear from him again I would run him over properly and make no mistake.
He must have been lurking in the shadows as I turned into that side road as despite the hammering down rain and the dark, visibility was good and there was no one around let alone crossing or in my path as I turned .

And as for being adrift in a boat, this has never happened to me but if it was a guy with me I would have eaten him .

Nice story Mick, pity you did not drop him at the nearest Police Station - but you were not to know. I guess you could say you have double morals there - both good and bad - skiving? Bad - Lesson leaned. Helping out someone you thought you had injured Good - Lesson learned,

[said]

well morals can never escape your karmas.you have to live by your truth,and what is true and right to do.however in the extreme of your take ,well as a spiritualist ,once spirit has left the mortal,thenif your adrift in a boat with no available sustenance then the ,its ok to survive on the available protiens,as it no longer is occupied by souls essence ,just the suit left.,and a gift left in time of need.

I think common sense trumps morality every time, eh?

[said]

REALLY!

I'm guessing the fact you're even asking the question, yours aren't very strong.

The question was posed for a discussion, not for personal permission. I guess I would act as the situation required, not always on the side of good morals. What about you?

[said]

I do not like killing god's creatures normally though I had no qualms 5 mins ago about encouraging Mr Hamble to electrocute a wasp wandering on the computer keyboard.

I could not do that - I would have to put the wasp outside. I remember pulling down an old shed once to replace it with a new one. A mouse had made nest under the flagstones - I had to wait two weeks until the young mice were ready to leave before putting up the new shed.

You got that, Derek H. What would you have done with the nest?

[MICK/GILLY]

Nice story Mick, pity you did not drop him at the nearest Police Station - but you were not to know. I guess you could say you have double morals there - both good and bad - skiving? Bad - Lesson leaned. Helping out someone you thought you had injured Good - Lesson learned,

I wasn’t involved in production and had the run of the factory as long as my job was done and although going out for chips before clocking off for lunch was technically skiving I had the unofficial nod of the bosses especially the ones who wanted a chippy tea so I don’t feel too bad as I was brought up with good morals and good sense enough to not waste my break waiting in line for everyone’s chips. .

[said]

I wasn’t involved in production and had the run of the factory as long as my job was done and although going out for chips before clocking off for lunch was technically skiving I had the unofficial nod of the bosses especially the ones who wanted a chippy tea so I don’t feel too bad as I was brought up with good morals and good sense enough to not waste my break waiting in line for everyone’s chips. .

I can understand that. Short lunch breaks are out for me too, if I followed the RULES I would still be queuing by the time I had to clock back in.

[donkey22]

I do not like killing god's creatures normally though I had no qualms 5 mins ago about encouraging Mr Hamble to electrocute a wasp wandering on the computer keyboard.

I would have rescued the wasp and released him. They’re great natural predators of caterpillars and other insects. And like bee’s, great pollinators too.

[said]

I would have rescued the wasp and released him. They’re great natural predators of caterpillars and other insects. And like bee’s, great pollinators too.

I didn't know wasps kill caterpillars? Live and learn. It is a good job that they are pollinators because it is said that bees are in decline. If the insects that pollinate become extinct, our own diet will have to change drastically.

[MICK/GILLY]

Years ago everyone was spraying fly killer at flying things or swatting them and leaving marks on the wallpaper or windows, maybe wisdom comes with age as now I know just to open a window and wave them towards it and out, easy as that .

[donkey22]

I didn't know wasps kill caterpillars? Live and learn. It is a good job that they are pollinators because it is said that bees are in decline. If the insects that pollinate become extinct, our own diet will have to change drastically.

This is what wasps do to caterpillars. I’d eat your dinner first though!
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/body-...ten-alive.html