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Abstract and concrete morals
Whether they concern us personally in a concrete manner, or are more general and abstract, our morals should — pretty much by definition — be the same. But are they?
One summer, three high school friends, Paula, Sarah and Jessica visited a large amusement park. It was sunny and hot, and very busy, with people queueing for up to two hours at the most popular rides. Fearing that they might not be able to go on all the attractions, they made their way to a water ride they had decided earlier was a must for them. But as the temperature rose, waiting times were, if anything, getting even longer there than elsewhere. Frustration and disappointment set in — were they really going to waste most of the day queuing? Perhaps there was a way to get around the impossibly long waiting times?
Bending morals
This anecdote was told by “Paula” (not her real name) in a recent episode of the wonderful Hidden Brain podcast. As she and her friends brainstormed what kind of people might not have to stand in line, they spotted someone in a wheelchair rolling up to the exit, being let in and skipping straight to the front of the queue. They looked at each other, and realized they had found a way. A physical disability would be hard to fake, but…
