The story we are living out is the story we are living in. And the story we are living in is the story we are living out.
Or, said another way, (in David Naugle's new book, Philosophy: A Student's Guide), "Alasdair MacIntyre has taught us to recognize the narrative sources of the moral traditions to which we adhere, especially if we wish to establish coherent, unified lives. Our character and actions are essentially an enacted dramatic narrative. We know neither what to be or what to do unless we can answer the prior question, 'Of what story or stories do I find myself a part?' Stories are of ultimate moral significance."(Philosophy, 77).
How true. If one lives in the story of rational humanism, morality will look one way. If one lives in the story of communistic fatalism, issues of morality will look another way. Or if one lives partly in the story of biblical theism and partly in some other story, then right and wrong take on a different hue. The story is really important. As is where we live.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI didn't find this entry until this morning, but it captures precising why the election results are what they are, I believe. Our nation is living in a world where our "moral traditions" are the polar opposite of biblical theism. And so we get four more years of BHO.
Precisely, Ed. And (interestingly) every "story" has a storyteller (or storytellers). In the case of "who gets the megaphone" for telling the story in North America, it looks like the media and educational system both have their mouths to the megaphone. We (Americans) listen and tacitly the story takes shape. Wah-lah, we don't even know it - we are in the story. And interpreting all of reality through a lens created by the story of these storytellers.
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