Moral Blind Spots

[Denise]

Experience suggests, and multiple studies show, that people don’t act as ethically as they think they will. It is easier to imagine being just and heroic than to be just and heroic. But sometimes the issue isn’t a lack of character, it’s a skewing of our vision of things.

https://www.thecatholicthing.org/2025/0 ... 0e2ee99a66

[MarieT]

interesting article

another reason that could be proposed why many in glass houses turn a blind eye on their own actions is justification......they find some "small print" to cover themselves... a different interpretation or so....

Aquinas indeed does point out the necessary points
his synthesis of Plato's influence and the Catholic faith has been hailed as brilliant

What I find interesting about Plato (an ancient Greek philosopher) is his Theory of forms and his Cave allegory, (an allegory being that which holds a secret meaning within). In his cave allegory, he asks one to imagine humans in a cave - were there from birth - chained up so their only visual is a wall in front of them - that is all they have seen for their entire lives - behind them, unknown to them is a fire that shines a light on the wall - people in between the fire and the wall carry a type of statue or image to reflect through the fire, shadows in front of the prisoners.

People also reflect images of trees, animals etc.....

So all that the prisoners have seen for the entirety of their lives are these shadows. They have grown up in the cave having no experience of the real....only projected shadows. Their reality is the shadows they experience.

If one of the prisoners escaped and was confronted with the real world, a lot of pain would ensue as their concept of reality would be rocked.

From the dark cave to the shining light outside, the hurt of the light, might make someone run back to their "natural" surroundings. But if the prisoner persisted, he would start realising the "new" and start to adjust to it.

If he saw a real tree instead of a shadow of one, or a real animal instead of a shadow of one, and would come to understand significances of the sun for example.

while this goes on to more philosophical teachings......what i wanted to point out was......think about today....one is stuck in front of a television, or a mobile phone or a computer.....whatever is projected can brainwash. We need to be mindful of this. The images and shadows one might be subjected to, aren't always the Real.

[Denise]