Challenge entry
I ought to have a whole chapter on ethics in one of my books, but I don’t. This is something I need to work on. Yet, I’m certain that if I were to do a rewrite, I’d be able to piece together what I need. I think I shuffled the info in with personal beliefs.
In college, I’d heard that it is impossible to be a truly white witch because in order to heal, we kill germs. Do I use black magic? Yes: I wash my hands regularly. Not doing so is dangerous and gross. I once sat in a restroom waiting for my aunt to finish, watching people’s cleanliness habits. Of the 10 people I saw, only 1 washed her hands after using the facilities. That individual had a child in tow, so I could count her as two…
Do I ask permission? When I don’t, I don’t put much power behind it. Such things might be Irish style blessings, vague wishes, or something all in fun. Eve then, I’ve found it possible to get into trouble.
Do I follow a traditional code? Subconsciously, I’m still affected by the ten commandments, drilled into me, though so easy a rock under a tree could follow them. I like the laws of physics, though it’s not possible to break some of them. If there is any question, I cast it upon myself. Thus I already know what the 3x3 will be and can learn from it immediately.
Do I cast love spells? Absolutely not! That would require knowing what love is. I honestly have no idea what love is; and every time I have tried to learn, I have gotten into trouble. I’ve learned to tell myself there’s no such thing, and leave it to someone else.
Making people happy is tricky. I’ve found that I forget to include myself in the general populace. Others tend to ignore the giver. Happiness is not a common value. It is also not always what is truly needed. Thus, utilitarianism causes more headaches than it’s worth.
Consequentialism is just as tricky. Not only do you have to know every possible outcome before you take action, but you also have to be able to read minds in order to know what is needed and how the recipient will react in order to create the best possible chain of events. Call me childish in my ethics, but I believe only the deities could possibly be in control of all that. It’s too much for me.
All that sounds like a laundry list of what I, as a genie, could not do if you rubbed my lamp. I’m still learning all this mess, after all these years. Many things that people seem to want in life don’t make sense to me. After all, abundance is so much more than those little pieces of green paper people tend to collect. Turning heads isn’t necessarily good or good for you. Power depends on values, and morality is rooted in the values you choose in life.
I want to be independent so I am not relying on and thus a hassle to others. To be as independent as possible, I need food, shelter, utilities, clothes, transportation, communication, and supplies for my interests. As part of feelings of strength in order to maintain independence, I need to feel like I am valuable in some way… and that is where I get into the most trouble. All the rest is human defined civilization.
Ostara, I am in love!
Darkness teaches us about our power and strength.
