Stress and moral code (The Christmas Speech)
I have chosen a topic I feel goes along with the season. Stress and moral code. Stress is a part of everyones life and for some the impacts are a little too much. Stress causes high blood pressure, in turn causes damage to arteries allowing plaque to build up within the vessels hardening them not allowing the elasticity needed for proper blood flow causing heart disease. Stress also impacts our lives from suppressed immune systems causing bacteria forming ulcers and is a major contributing factor to obesity. All in all stress is a silent killer. Studies have shown the higher up within society, wealth, and the job chain people exhibit lower stress levels allowing them a healthier lifestyle.
The following excerpt was derived from Stephen Hicks: http://www.stephenhicks.org/…/masters-and-slaves-section-24-of-nietzsche-and…?
In biology, nature divides itself into two catagories: Those in nature who are the herd animals and those who are the loners. The herd animals are like sheep, cattle, and field mice. The loners are wolves, hawks, and lions. They are biologically born into their distinct category. A sheep can’t help but be sheep like and a hawk can’t help but be hawk like. Those same genetics are passed down to us from our ancestors. Fredriech Nietzche characterized these into two groups, slaves and masters. Different biological natures determine our very own moral code the divide between the strong and weak runs right through us. So the key question to ask about morality is not; is such and such a moral code good, rather the key question is to what kind of person does such a moral code seem good. “Ones moral code is a decisive witness to who he is to the innermost drives of his nature. Moral judgements are symptoms and sign languages which betray the process of physiological prosperity or failure.” So moral codes are a type of ones biological types survival strategy. To illustrate this thinking, lets think back in time before Christ was born. The Egyptian empire was mighty; the pharohs and pagan foreseers ruled the land. They were building elaborate temples to their gods and kings using the Jewish people as their slaves, during this time the Jews had to be sheep-like, working together in groups and being obedient to their masters. The Jews did not choose this moral code but was forced upon them, they learned it, practiced it, and passed it down to their children and grandchildren to ensure survival. Years later, the Jewish people flourish, while the pharohs and gods the Egyption masters worshiped are long forgotten.
We as a culture, used to prize excellence, strength and power and to look down upon the weak the lonely and the humble. Now it’s the humble, the kindly man and the weak who are the good guys, while the strong the excellent and the powerful are the evil.
Pride, Self-esteem Humility Wealth Poverty Ambition, Boldness Patience, Meekness Vengeance Forgiveness Self Worth Weakness, Sin Profit Self-sacrifice, Charity Challenge Safety Indulgence Self Restraint Pleasure, Sensuality Shame Independence Dependence Individualism Altruism Autonomy Obedience
Which list of traits makes an individual more fuller, leads to more active lives and helps reach its highest potential? The list on the right is dangerous to human potential, it is a symptom of weakness and sickness and unhealthiness, it undermines the human potential for greatness and unfortunately it is the dominent morality of our time. In our time all of the traits of a noble man are condemned and all traits of a weaker man are praised. Morality has become paradoxical and is now a bad thing. Morality has become immoral!! By this point, you are probably asking yourself “If the list on the right is dangerous to human potential, how did the Jews fair so well using this list of moral codes?”. Well, I suggested the Jews were forced into being sheep-like for mere survival tactics. Ask yourself this: What would our lives be like if we followed the list on the right just before the American Revolution? We would have been obedient to our government, the British, instead of being individuals we would have Altruism to the monarchy, been dependent on a socialist government, have shame for not being able to practice religion as we pleased, and so on……..
We all have different opinions on everything, I seem to believe the list on the right are the moral codes taken straight out of the Old Testament in the Holy Bible, having said that, I believe the Old Testament to be of Gods Laws on the people. Jesus was born on December 25, the day we celebrate as Christmas. I also believe Jesus died for mans sins, so we could live a more fulfilling life and reach our highest potential as humans.
With stress having a damaging affect on our health and steadily increasing with time, as humans it would seem absurd not to try to manage a stress free lifestyle. As I stated at the beginning of the speech stress is increased in ones life through wealth, the lower we fit into social class, the more stress increases substantially, also stress is greatly increased from our role we play in employment, the higher we are on job chain the less stress, the lower the inevitable more stress. The list on the right is a setup for poor health and the highest stress levels man can incur on oneself.
Conclusion: During the course of the speech, some of you may have had different views and different emotional responses in turn repressing your emotions and displaying the feeling of resentment of what I had to say. That is nature at work, a stress mechanism elevating your stress level, the moral code taken directly from the list on the right. You have fallen victim to natures silent killer not even realizing it.
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