This is the second and last part of my essay, 'Why be Good?'  The first part may be read at: http://matheikal.sulekha.com/blog/post/2008/05/why-be-good-1.htm

However, this part can be understood even if you don't read the first part.

Every human being seeks his/her own welfare. Working towards fulfilling one's self-interests is not evil at all; it is a natural instinct, it is a natural law.

A chief mistake committed by traditional moral systems (such as religions) is to perceive seeking self-interests as evil. Hence they impose restrictions on man's most basic instinct. Obviously such systems will face obstacles, if not rebellion. However, rebellion is nipped in the bud itself with indoctrination and suppressed if it arises later. In other words, restrictions play a vital role in such systems.

The ideal is to let each individual arrive at self-fulfilment in his/her own unique way. Rational ethics gives that absolute freedom.

But freedom always comes with responsibilities. Absolute freedom comes with immense responsibilities.

Rational ethics starts with the premise that man is rational. Using his rational faculty man can understand what is good for himself. He can also understand that living in a harmonious communion with his social (as well as natural) environment enhances the chances of achieving his self-interests.

Genuine self-interests are those that gear one towards self-fulfilment. It is not making more wealth, living a life of opulence, or becoming the most powerful person in the country. Genuine self-interests unfold one's personality to its full potential.

What a rational individual does in order to achieve his genuine self-interests will not be in conflict with the welfare of the society. A rational individual understands that he can grow to his full potential only when the society also grows. That harmony between the individual and the society comes as a result of an intelligent understanding of the relationship between the individual and the society. Actions that arise out of such an understanding will be morally good.

Unfortunately such an understanding of life has not been promoted among men. Rather, Herculean efforts were made to suppress such an understanding. Socrates was poisoned to death because he advocated this philosophy. Spinoza was excommunicated from his religion because he advocated this philosophy. Gandhi who held fast to this philosophy is being projected as a villain today. Organised institutions have vested interests which can be achieved only by keeping man under their control. Man's liberty should be curtailed, not because liberty will make him a monster but because organised groups have their hidden agendas of aggrandizement. Therefore man is given wrong lessons. Right from his birth he is told that liberty is evil. Right from birth he is punished for exercising his liberty. Instead, right from birth he should have been taught to exercise his liberty.

Love, altruism, compassion, tolerance, or any such value or virtue can be wrong lessons! What traditional moral systems do is to impose these values or virtues on man as his moral duties. But man soon finds out that those who prescribe these values and virtues do not possess even an iota of them. Hence internal conflicts, hypocrisy and sheer rebellion are the outcome. Hypocrisy is the ruling virtue today. It is engendered by the traditional moral systems.

Instead of love, compassion, etc, what if, for example, good meant intelligent, and virtue meant wisdom? The whole paradigm will change. Instead of asking people to be loving in a hate-filled world, compassionate in a cruel world, tolerant in a bigoted world. why not let him make intelligent and wise decisions? The focus will then change from emotions to reason. The paradigm will shift from traditional moral systems to rational ethics.

Traditional moral systems play with human emotions. Rational ethics exercises his intelligence.

Traditional moral systems make a puppet out of man; rational ethics liberates him from the clutches of restrictions that debilitate his very 'soul'.

Traditional moral systems breed and encourage ignorance; rational ethics relies on knowledge and wisdom.

Traditional moral systems suppress; rational ethics liberates.

In short, rational ethics says:

You are a rational creature.

You have the freedom to make rational choices and judgements.

Making rational choices will give you more contentment, lead you to self-fulfilment, benefit the society in the process, and promote harmony among human beings.