The Moral Basis For Regulation
Stuck in the Moral Matrix
I just came across this TED talk by Jonathan Haidt, The moral roots of liberals and conservatives.
I’ve seen him discuss his book on Bill Moyers, and was not impressed so did’t read the book.
But, I was impressed with this TED talk, and sometimes find myself often trapped in what Haidt calls “The Moral Matrix”.
I often write about government regulation, usually based on science, law, and public policy (but obviously reflecting my own unstated moral values and premises).
Within Haidt’s moral framework, my take on regulation is something I view as grounded in what Haidt describes as the moral values of liberals – prevention of harm, care, compassion, and fairness/equity/reciprocity – as opposed to the conservative oriented morals of in group loyalty, authority/respect and purity/sanctity.
So, I found the discussion on the moral aspects of the what is referred to as the commons fascinating (starts at time 11:30 – source of chart above).
Listen closely – he makes the moral case for regulation – which is a form of coercion, authority, order, and “punishment” to protect the “purity” of the air and water of the in-group’s “homeland”! – all conservative moral values!
So, environmentalists would seem to have common cause with conservatives, if they could find a way out of the Moral Matrix and somehow frame issues to reflect conservative oriented values.
Something to think about – from one inside the Moral Matrix!
(BTW, I’ve always loved Bosch – but from a 1960’s perspective, not a Christian one)
(and I still think Senator Oroho is a gun loving ALEC controlled corporate wing nut, waging a war on women, immigrants, gays, workers, the Highlands and Global Warming science! A real toxic package.)
There, now I feel better!