Carl G. Schowengerdt’s new book is appropriately titled Human Ethics. It’s kind of grimly humorous, in an overly intellectual sort of way, for a book called Human Ethics to be released in an era where so much is uncertain, so much is faux-relative, and the sense of personal responsibility has never been higher. This kind of sardonic wit is reflected in the dedication Schowengerdt bestoys in the first couple of pages. Simply put, he writes, “This book is a summary/Of everything I have learned about humans/After studying them for 92 years.” It seems only fitting after such a proclamation Schowengerdt plainspokenly states that humanity’s collective values are, in effect, in a ‘big mess.’
“Since the beginning of human societies, our human values have been mixed in with our religions, our mythologies, and our forms of government in one giant stew, where we all become confused as to what values we should attach to which religion, to which mythology, to which
government,” he writes. “…Our encyclopedias are a hindrance rather than a help in making sense of this potpourri of values, mythologies, religions and governments. They begin by equating morals and ethics in the derivation of their names from the Greek word ethos, meaning character, and Latin word moralis, pertaining to manners or morals. They continue that amalgamation of values for both words through pages of philosophical discussion of meta-ethics, normative ethics, applied ethics and a long list of subcategories of ethics for each of those obtuse headings.”
Having someone tell it like it is could be an extremely bleak and depressing experience. After all, sometimes putting an articulation to the current state of affairs can really sum up things in a way that drives home the gravity. But Schowengerdt balances this with actual thoughts on the path forward. He’s not settling for cheap semantics, highlighting the considerable scare tactics any cognizant citizen will face in some capacity. The book excavates its subject matter, not exploiting it. “This book begins with discussions of how we have mistakenly applied violence in the past as what was ‘right’,” Schowengerdt writes. “It continues with presentations of world leaders who have shown, in varying degree, during my lifetime, ethics or the absence thereof in
their behavior and actions. None have been perfect, and all have failed, to some major or minor degree, to do what was ethical. The next section deals with the human situation on this planet Earth, and the dawning realization that it is all up to us, not some far off deity, to create a better world for our societies. The last section deals with practical ways we can accomplish that dream.”
AMAZON: https://www.amazon.es/Human-Ethics-English-Carl-Schowengerdt-ebook/dp/B0D8G29TMS
That particular passage – ‘…practical ways we can accomplish (said) dream’ – is a welcome elixir to the considerable stagnation plaguing many people, as reflected in personality polls. It’s hard at times to feel like things are going to get better, not because of impracticality but because of the feelings of hopelessness. Schowengerdt shows us time and again in the text that it’s never the case, and it is the singular responsibility of the individual civilian to do their part and work together towards a better future.
Garth Thomas