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Moral Licensing

EuanF

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately on my own personal morals and ethics. In doing this I've came across the concept of "moral Licensing". This is essentially a psychological phenomenon in where we use the knowledge of previous moral behaviour or actions to almost excuse and allow us to engage in morally questionable or straight up immoral acts without the full acknowledgement in lowering of our own moral standing. 

Unfortunately, in reflecting on a lot of my previous personal behaviours I can see so many times I have been caught in this. Using moral behaviour that I have presented in public to perhaps ignore or not truly acknowledge the impact of my immoral behaviour when on my own or in private. It's incredibly disappointing and honestly brings up a lot of feelings of shame. However, I do believe that genuine reflection and understanding of these things is the only way we can change going forward and be better people.  

Has anyone else had times in their life that, on reflection, might have involved the use of this moral licensing? And if so, do you feel you have taken important lessons from acknowledging it?

Parents

  • every action has a reason every cause has a consequence.

    if someone has done something to you to lower your moral treatment of them.... they outright deserve it, as its a consequence of what they did to you. you adjust behaviour to suit each individual, you cant treat all the same, treatment of others depends on how those others treat you and is fully justified entirely... up to a point where your not over doing it and know when enough has been enough or whether its ongoing and they have earnt more.

  • in reply to Caelus

    What do you mean by this? The same argument is exactly why Autistics are treated horrendously, spoken of as humans without a soul or moral compass. 

    My perspective of the other might not be correct. My assumptions could be biased. 

    I don't think it's useful to treat others as they treat you, like a passive entity on "Response Mode" only. That's kind of the point of growing. To help others up to a better standard. If we never afforded dignity to those who needed it, this world would be a terrible place. 

    I mean, who knows what another actually deserves. 

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  • in reply to Caelus

    What do you mean by this? The same argument is exactly why Autistics are treated horrendously, spoken of as humans without a soul or moral compass. 

    My perspective of the other might not be correct. My assumptions could be biased. 

    I don't think it's useful to treat others as they treat you, like a passive entity on "Response Mode" only. That's kind of the point of growing. To help others up to a better standard. If we never afforded dignity to those who needed it, this world would be a terrible place. 

    I mean, who knows what another actually deserves. 

Children
  • in reply to Caelus

    In my own opinion, it's not about giving back what others have given to you if what they have done is wrong and hurtful of you. I don't believe that gives a justification to then be hurtful towards them. However, what it does give rightful justification for is you no longer giving them anymore of your time or positive acts and energy. Instead of doing something back and bringing them into your misery, I believe it is about removing yourself from the hurtful behaviours they do, putting your foot down by removing them from your life if it comes to that and they show no indication of change or remorse. The absence of you from their life , the absence of your positive acts towards them that they have taken for granted, will be enough misery for them. 

  • in reply to JuniperFromGallifrey

    yeah only act on concrete though, not on assumptions of guesses. if they do something concrete and say something too and it all is undoubtable they are acting against you in some way then yeah... you have to do unto them what they would do to you, it provides them a learning lesson to not do to others what they dont want done themselves right?

    edit: what was that other saying people used "a eye for a eye makes both people blind?" thats a daft saying that.... because it advocates allowing someone to just blind you while you do nothing in return, that way you end up blind and the person that did it is laughing at you hatefully enjoying your misery... its much better than the person that does it joins you in your misery for they did that themselves, rather than them being allowed to be happy and laugh at the misery they caused you. they should join you in it, both parties should be blind, otherwise there is nothing to stop the perpetrator just doing it without any consequence to themselves.

  • in reply to Sporadic Sparkly

    but what i they treat us badly despite us treating them good and continue to treat you badly and take advantage of your treating them good? comes a point when you have to put the foot down

  • in reply to JuniperFromGallifrey

    I am in agreement, and am reminded of Confucius' Golden Rule: "Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself".

    If we treat people badly because it's how they treat us, then it makes us just as bad, if not worse than them. Admittedly, if we perceive that a person has consistently treated us badly, it's not always easy to practice that Golden Rule.