Alignment (Morality and Ethics)

Alignment (Morality and Ethics)

I don't know if you have any familiarity with pen-and-paper RPG-type games, but I'm going to borrow the concept of "alignment" commonly used in determining character behavior. There are two planes, X and Y. One is moral alignment, e.g. good versus bad. And the other is societal ethics, or lawful versus chaotic: 



Good

Neutral

Evil/Bad

Lawful

Lawful-Good

(Believes that following the rules is how to be good, but may interpret them with judgment)

Lawful-Neutral

(Strictly follows the letter of the law without moral interpretation)


Lawful-Evil

(Uses the law, and loopholes, to gain power)

Neutral

Neutral-Good

(Mostly follows the rules, but considers whether the rules are "good" before committing to action)

True Neutral

(Believes in balance in all things)

Neutral-Evil

(Without moral compass and without boundaries. Often considered the alignment of insane characters)

Chaotic

Chaotic-Good

(Does what seems good, irregardless of the rules)

Chaotic-Neutral

(Does whatever they want; often whimsically)

Chaotic-Evil

(Delights in pure destruction, preferably as messy as possible)


Remember, this table is meant for creating storybook-type characters, and real people most likely have a bit more depth. But there is still some value that can be obtained from considering stereotypes of how we each may operate morally and ethically. Have you ever considered your own process for moral decision-making? Do you tend towards following rules, whether societal, familial or religious in nature? Do you prefer to follow your gut of what feels right, regardless of what other people think? 


Here is a further illustration that may help some to ponder or understand the subtleties within the alignment matrix:

Journal Exercise #5

Consider your own alignment and write it down. It's ok, if you feel that you more than one may apply. Write a paragraph describing how you make moral and ethical decisions. Answer this question:  Does the way I make moral decisions support the kind of person I want to become?


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