Sunday, August 7, 2011

Morality and the divided Self!

Let me be frank here without being much evasive in presenting my argument. Morality has nothing to do with selflessness and altruism. Most of the moralists would argue that when a women surrenders herself to her lover, a man dies for his nation, a mother sacrifices her sleep for her infant kid, an honest civil servant refuses bribe they all make sacrifices and all these examples cannot be understood as mere personifications of personal self-interest and motives without perversity of reason. The argument may seem quite convincing to some people. However, a deeper analysis leads us to another conclusion. A martyr sacrifices himself not out of sheer altruism but rather his own personal ambition. Apparently selfless looking acts are not devoid of human vanity. Here is the analysis..
When we perform such seemingly altruistic acts. We idealize a part of us (the idea of being a martyr, a loyal lover, good mother etc) more than the other part. And in doing so we sacrifice our other part in lieu of the idealized part. Therefore, morality divides the Self. I am very well aware of the fact that not to many people would like to think this way. Perhaps for them, its so immoral to be moral this way.

4 comments:

Awais Aftab said...

Where have you been, Qasim? :)

Qasim Aziz said...

Hey Awais :)
I was out of country last year..Was selected to represent Pakistan at Vienna Christian Islamic Summer University..Then graduated as a law student..Briefly tried working with a so called prestigious law firm. Soon realized that my calling lies somewhere else. Currently teaching Jurisprudence and Legal Theory to University of London External Students...
Saw your article on liberal Islam in Fridaytimes.. It was a well researched article..
You would be happy to know that I wrote a dissertation on the possibility of reconciling Shari'a and International Human Rights law...I even got in touch with An-Naim for that purpose via emails.. So, i was glad to see a medical student having such diverse interest :-)
Hope all is well at your end..May be we can meet some day. I will be happy to meet you.. :)

Awais Aftab said...

That is great Qasim! Glad to know you have been active :) Would like to read your dissertation, if possible. And would really love to meet you. Are you in Lahore?

Qasim Aziz said...

I will mail it to you tonight..
And yes I am in Lahore. Whenever you feel like meeting we can arrange something :-)