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There Is No Absolute Moral Adequacy

Sometimes in discussions of moral reasoning, we see people engage in a search for an Absolute Moral Truth about How Much Is Enough. It's funny, I've not seen nearly as much ink spilled on the nature of How Much Of The Good Life Is Enough. Of course, both are related to multifaceted, complex questions. The Good Life is not a pure or simple thing, and any element of it, expanded to extremes, would surely be offputting without great changes elsewhere. The whole thing would be a total mess to sort through, which is why most people don't. They navigate their lives with a vision of what The Good Life is, and make small adjustments here and there, as well as set up long term plans to radically improve their lives (if the plans work out).

But at no point do they ponder, how much of The Good Life is enough, and then nobody would expect me to have more? Oh sure there are pressures towards a good life. Everyone wants to Keep Up With The Joneses. But they don't ask, how much is A Good Enough Life, at which point I can stop trying to have a better life? The question hits the ear in a funny way. It's perfectly obvious why people don't ask that question, although it's less obvious how to explain why.

The fact that this is often the default discussion of goodness, in casual environments, is pretty weird to me. If only we could live in a world where people help each other with the little tips, support each other in the long term plans, and pine over those who have ventured further down the path than we have, like the discussions of The Good Life. Ah, how intensely jealous I am! But no, that seeking is not done, for the most part.

Whether or not you believe in Absolute Morality, you might reasonably conclude that defining Morally Good Enough is shockingly tricky. Things seem better, or worse, and we can imagine there being a point at infinity in either direction (although more and more I've come to suspect it's a broad high-dimensional space even at the limits). But where do you draw the line?

I think there is no reasonable line to be drawn. Just opportunities to do better, and the practice and capacity to take more of those opportunities.

I see so many people struggle with, I want to be a good person, but I can't have it destroy my life seeking to do every Maximally Good thing. I know that fear well. Truly the most intense fear I've ever felt in my life. But I invite them to try anyway. Yes, some of your life will be destroyed. But most will remain. Doing good work for others (e.g. having a job) is an important tool for goodness. Caring for loved ones is quintessential goodness. Yes, you'll be spending less time, effort, and money on indulging yourself. But see what gets made, not just what is lost.

Do not think to say to yourself, "if I donate 10% to EA charities, I have done my part". Say to yourself, "my role is to love you, and take care of you, no matter who you are". Do not say, "I must plan for my future, and I will want great sums to supplement Social Security", think to yourself, "I must plan for my future, so I want to be the type of person that angels would want as a neighbor". Do not think, "I would go crazy if I worried about others all the time", say to yourself, "the world is crazy to ignore people who hurt, people just like me in every way, just because the hurt might be too much".

I love you.