I know some of you will say parents and whatnot, but they taught you more like manners and so on. Everyday stuff.
I mean, morals, as in your innate sense of what you beleive is right. Where did you pick them up?
I think I figured out what was right and wrong by the books I read and the games I played on the computer and various console systems. And I mean the books as in fantasy and sci fi. And comic books. When you think about it, all the 'good' guys are are just ordinary-ish people who are thrust into an unfamiliar situation and forced to adjust and survive as they can, and they only try to do the 'right' thing.
I never learned anything from the old English lit books they always made us read in high school (and a lot of you prolly know, my arch-nemesis is Nathaniel Hawthorne and the like). They were always stories about shallow people, in no where places, going no where, and eventually leading in on their own destruction. In my opinion, a lot of these books were rather poorly written.
Nah. My morals came from Spiderman and Jimmy the Hand and Red Kian of Skie. All these well developed, heroic characters who were victems of circumstance.
The reason for this post is my own misguided wonderings, and my frustration with the teachers who think their musty old books are what makes the world go round. (Yeah, I literally suffered in my grades because I did an oral book report and didnt like the book, and my teacher graded me down for my opinions.)
My Father had a strong sense of morals, and he's the one who dragged me to Church every sunday morning. And I guess I turned out right. [ 07-30-2002: Message edited by: Black Mage ]
Good thing my father was too cheap for Catholic school.
WINNERS DON'T DO DRUGS.
But didn't I just lose if I saw that message?
Seriously: My best friend while growing up in Florida.
Friends help, so does those rather annoying bits of pain, but mostly, it's just... life.
sigpic courtesy of This Guy, original modified by me
Also, I noticed that helping people tends to result in good things for me.
In short, I do the right things for the wrong reasons 
One of the other major things that shaped my moral views was a philosophy/world religions class I took about 5 years ago. Several of the issues we discussed there really forced me to evaluate my own moral ideas (the existence/non-existence of moral absolutes and those kinds of issues). Rather than changing my moral views, though, it helped me to understand and solidify the views that had often been very nebulous in my own mind.
In the beginning the Universe was created.Douglas Adams, 1952-2001
And I dunno, I kinda adopted my own morals from some weird selective sense of honor from things like the Fantasy and Sci Fi books like you said, .
I'm gonna make my brother post on this thread, because he's chivalrous, .
My parents, They lead by example, they show me the way, and say look at all these benefits, or they show me what they did and why they wish they did not (smoking, drinking, and such)
Boy scouts. I've been a member for the past 12 years, and i feel that they have influenced me greatly. The Scouting movement has taught me self discipline, self respect, respect for others, the world we live in, and a way of thinking that puts a group above the individual.
Books. The Bible and The Quran. I've read both several times, cover to cover, and they have a good moral grounding in many things.
Friends, they let me know when i'm being a jackass.
Other sources, novels, TV, and such...
No, Really. Bite me.
I'm really introverted, and not very social... I tend to ignore and disregard most people, so I come up with most things on my own.
But yeah, I pride myself on behaving better than most people, and I try to be stoic.
So I try to address everyone very politely, using Sir and Ma'am a bit too much. I hold the door, I help people, I never eat the last bit of the food, etc.
I don't hit people who don't hit me, and I won't someone who hits me unless they actually hurt me. For instance, my sister hits me all the time, but she doesn't really hurt me, so I can just ignore her and make her more frustrated.
Being stoic works well throughout high school, and it helps you build a higher tolerance for emotional and physical pain... Like walking around black asphalt and beaches in one hundred and two degree weather barefoot, without flinching.
I've yet to find a single problem with stoicism. Some people might call you insensitive, but if you're stoic, you won't let that get to you.
I think I love the sound of my own voice too much, so I'll shut up now.
AIM: Harlequin Paradox
the literature wrought my fanatical adherance to my own ethical code, and I just kinda figured it out on my own, some things I were told, and I agreed with them, a lot of things I didn't, so...yeah
quote:
Jared D'Faybane had this to say about Tron:
I've yet to find a single problem with stoicism. Some people might call you insensitive, but if you're stoic, you won't let that get to you.
I found this immensly funny for obvious ironic reasons. 
Under capitalism, man exploits man. Under communism, it's just the opposite. - John Kenneth Galbraith
Live and Misery.
quote:
We were all impressed when Faelynn LeAndris wrote:
Cause and Effect.Live and Misery.
Should that read "Life and Misery"?
Sorry, grammar whoring is another thing my parents tried bashing into me and it sometimes pops up... I just can't help myself.
No, Really. Bite me.
Just living my life taking note of what felt right or wrong to me.
quote:
The_Mac Model 2000 was programmed to say:
Should that read "Life and Misery"?
Yes.
Cause and Effect, Life and Misery. I chose my path and I followed it, what I brought away from it and learned from it all made me.
As for the rest, I keep that to myself.
I believe that some things hurt people, either indrectly or directly, and some things do not, and that's the extent of it.
quote:
Azakias said this about your mom:
Where did you learn your morals?
By watching my parents fuck up.
And my friends.
And myself.
quote:
Azakias stopped staring at Deedlit long enough to write:
I mean, morals, as in your innate sense of what you beleive is right. Where did you pick them up?
A little gnome told me to burn things.
quote:
From the book of nem-x, chapter 3, verse 16:
Sonic: The Hedgehog the cartoon
He taught me to love chili dogs...
Mmmmmmmmmmm chili dogs.
If there is one thing that has formed the basis for my morals, I would have to say it would be the "golden rule" (damn sunday school). Other then that, its hard to pin down any specific people, events, or things that have made up my morals.
At least that's what I told my Psychology teacher when he asked the class that very same question.
the frame was built by reading David Eddings. Garion and Sparhawk (but mostly Sparhawk) are my heroes. if you've read the books, you may or may not get me a bit more.
and the fine tuning was done here on the Boards. you'll all probably think it's another "OMG 1 h4v3 b33n h33r l0ng3r th4n j00." thing but i DID get here when i was early(?) 13 years old. so the rough polishing of my moral compass happened here. for better or worse.
of course, my morals are NOT fully developed. i'm 16 and have hardly gotten my foot into the world. i'll have to see what experience teaches me.
quote:
Azakias had this to say about the Spice Girls:
Where did you learn your morals?
Mixture of parents and such... but it basically boiled down to what I ended up thinking was right and wrong. However this vision of right and wrong was formed I guess came from my upbringing...
But... I don't think it was from the Church as much. Since, y'know, I'm gay and all. While the Presbyterian Church doesn't really harshly condemn the lifestyle, I can't say they condone or support it either.
Edit: I am a Christian. Don't get me wrong. And my morals partially came from there. So be it if my lifestyle is a blatant sin. [ 07-31-2002: Message edited by: Kegwen 2.0 ]
