Vices
It’s good to have some vices. Sounds like a contradictory
statement, I know. But as human beings, we seek happiness. And isn’t one of our
inalienable rights as Americans the right to pursue happiness?
Of course, getting carried away with evil deeds and/or
getting addicted to something malevolent is not prudent or wise.
What I think I’m trying to get at here is more about what
makes us tick. Questions about values come up frequently when we say things
like, “You can’t trust a person who doesn’t drink,” or “Who wants to go to
heaven if you have to give up [fill in whatever vice you consider fun]?”
A cogent discussion about such matters is nearly impossible.
Why we act on things that our “better angels” would advise us against is, well,
part of the human condition.
After giving up so much, both good and bad, I find that I
miss both the good and the bad equally. I realize, however, more forcefully the
consequences of the latter. That is to say, “bad” is easily recognizable by the
pain and suffering it causes. And simply put, “good” perpetuates more of what’s
good. (But I’m sure bad does the same.)
Is there even a right answer? Perhaps if we break things
down, organize, and compartmentalize them, we can get a better picture and a
better handle on what good and bad, right and wrong, and pure and profane truly
mean. But after doing all that, we might not get any closer to the answer. All the shades of grey get in the way.
Life’s complicated. That’s universally understood and
accepted. But such a statement is not an answer. Religion tries and fails, not
that it isn’t persuasive. And what of personal beliefs? The problem is that
they come from outside influences as much as, if not more than, internal constructs.
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