Dear Baby Girl,
I shall continue with the point I was trying to make last time. I have long struggled with what is right and wrong. These terms right and wrong suggest they are clear and concise. However, I have long been confused by them. So often, I think I am doing something right only to learn I had wronged someone in doing so.
In a broader view of the notion of the right thing, I have always been confused. On the one hand, I was told something was right, or it was wrong. Yet, at the same time, I was taught there is no such thing as right or wrong. The reasoning given is that the meaning of right and wrong is dependent on context, be it society, culture, law, and so on. At the same time schools teach there no such thing as good or bad or 'so-called' evil. Of course, like most people, I decided I would try to be a "good" person as best as I could be. But it is not an easy thing to be something when you don't even know what that something is.
For the longest time, I believed the teachings that all these terms were relative to the society, culture, law, aka the broader context. I learned that what might be "good" for a subculture, may at the same time, be "evil" for another sub-culture. This mentality is everywhere now of days that people must behave and act in a way that is appropriate to their designation.
This relative morality argument continues to grow more nuanced and complicated with every passing year. Watching the media outlets seem to show people up in arms all the time because someone acted in a manner not appropriate for their designation. It is difficult to follow many times what is the culturally proper thing to say and do and what isn't. This mentality has spread to the workforce, making the workplace a little more challenging to navigate through. Someone like me who can be very direct and candid ends up in a lot of trouble fast when sharing my opinion.
As a side note, I look forward to the moment you try to use this relative morality argument with me in the future when you are in trouble. We will have a very, very long talk when you do.
This confusing system of beliefs has only seemed to spread and become more twisted. Now of days there are terms like 'Social Justice,' 'Cultural Appropriation,' 'Racism,' 'Psychological Safety,' 'Feminism',... Then there are all sorts of movements and advocacy groups. Most of these groups of people claim other groups of people have violated them. Some demand reparations or demand formalized regulations and a change in the application of the law.
In many cases, now of days, you can be right and wrong at the same time. Children are sometimes punished for doing the right thing not because it was wrong but because it wasn't respecting authority even though the "authority" was in the clear wrong. There will come a time when you are in trouble and get punished when you did the right thing. When that happens, try to understand that human nature is to strive to better themselves in the context of their belief structure. So when you face injustice, find your father or a close friend and get ice cream with them and let the silliness resolve itself.
No matter how you live or what choices or decisions you make, you will suffer criticism. If you work hard, some will condemn you for your actions and ridicule your accomplishments stating that you are privileged. Others will praise you for your accomplishments yet condemn you in other ways. It reminds me of the 'man, woman, and donkey' cartoon that is based on the Æsop Fable The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey
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We all have different circumstances that bring individually unique struggles for each of us. Many people will be unable to overcome their struggles. Many of those who fail in their efforts will blame others for their failure. In some cases, this blame will be appropriate, but usually, it is not. We all have challenges we need to overcome in life. Many of those challenges can be easy, depending on the resources you have available. Those with fewer resources will have fewer options on solving their problems and will have to get more creative to solve them. This creativity can grow to be a massive boon in their life. If someone uses money to solve their challenges, they don't learn nearly as much and won't benefit as much. There are tradeoffs in anything in life. In some ways, you are blessed; in others, you will struggle. Life is like this for everyone.
I have never met someone who has no blessings and only suffers curses. But perhaps that is so. It likely is a matter of individual opinion as I think life itself is a blessing. But the point about personal opinion is that only your opinion should matter to you. If you believe you are a victim of whatever, then you are a victim. If you think you have a chance to struggle and improve yourself, then you have an opportunity to fight and improve yourself. I will go into this concept later in my writings to you. But for now, know that the most powerful, reliable, and influential person in your universe is you.