I wholeheartedly agree, and as funny as this sounds, I just started writing a manifesto about this yesterday lmao.

I think the main issue is the way morality is framed in neoliberalism, many religions etc.—as something prescriptive. We follow laws not because of some internal moral principles, because we conform to authority and fear punishment. This isn’t rational but deeply instinctual, and it leads to immoral action. Similarly, I think tribalism is a consequence of instinctual action and probably one of the main causes of evil in the world. Racism, nationalism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc. can all be explained in this framework. We need to educate people to recognize instinct and transcend it. A political system, however perfect, cannot be forced on people who aren’t ready for it.

There is no such thing as objective morality. Being moral is a matter of will and character—consciously choosing what kind of person you want to be. I want to be the kind of person that brings pleasure into the world, and so I am a utilitarian.

Edit: And I’m not saying that I am fulfilling that adequately at all. Any coherent moral stance usually has implications which are “undesirable”. If I were truly utilitarian, I should probably be donating money to the global south, and so should anyone else who claims to be moral.

I wouldn’t say Marxism is incompatible with dualism for example, yes Marx heavily focuses on the material struggle, but interpreting the theory in a dualist sense doesn’t really change its implications. Wealth really matters because of the way it makes us feel, the experiences it enables, not because of some inherent value. If being poor didn’t feel bad, nobody would have a problem with it.

This post reminded me of a dream I had today.

I was hiking up a hill through a forest and saw a snake by the side of the path. I stopped to look at it. It was completely black with a strange white dotted pattern on its back, unlike any snake where I live. Then I heard something moving a little uphill, I turned to look, and it was another snake, and next to it another. I looked around and the ground was writhing with snakes. I started running away into the forest, but it was getting darker and darker. Then I heard an ominous whirring sound getting progressively louder. I woke up and it was the washing machine.