I used to jeer at wrongness. I taunted idiots and persecuted stupidity. It's not that difficult when you can tell right from wrong. But I was just another noble savage then.
Later different stories have shown me how wrong I was myself about things I could have never assumed I might be wrong about. I've learnt to cherish the variety of viewpoints and there was a time when I collected them like tokens of the world's grandeur. I would come home, put them all around me and masturbate mentally (like any collector would). I incorporated many of them.
In time I started to lose my coherence. I started to leak out and they started to leak in.
"How come I can even pretend to be right about anything if I've been wrong so many times?" I thought to myself.
I wasn't the collector anymore. I became the collection. Perfectly able to meaningfully counter almost any argument (granted enough time for research when needed) I felt unable to propose an argument capable of convincing myself. I had truths while what I longed for was the Truth.
I once wrote that philosophy gave me that special kind of uncertainty that allows you to be a better person. I still believe this is one of the best things I've ever been given and for that I will be forever thankful. But it has it's drawbacks too.
Now I have little knowledge of what is right. It became more of an intuition. I guess some people might find it strange that I can see a person in a psychopath and a true believer in a jihadist. It might seem rather unorthodox to believe that they need to be helped rather than harmed, isolated rather then killed. They can't help what's in their brains, but we can. And we should.
I'm afraid I find it difficult to wish any harm upon anyone just for the sheer pleasure revenge might give me. But don't get me wrong. I might be a wimp, but I'm that very special kind of a sissy person who would be the first to put a fist in your face if you misbehave (physically or otherwise). The good thing is that I'd do my best to make the definition of misbehaviour as good as it can get. Well-supported and possibly peer-reviewed. With bibliography and all.
Because, hey. Do some people need to be stopped? But of course they do! Can we punch them in their face until they stop? Well, if that's what needs to be done, then yes.
See? I'm not a true relativist. Your freedom ends where mine begins. All freedoms end when harm starts.
(And then I go and analyse what harm is and all those chains of events that brought the harmful about.)
I'm not all lost. I can even say I'm partly found (oh, that optimism of mine!) and it's good.
The reason why I think it's good is mostly intuitive, but I think it has to do with the upbringing and education I've received.
I know a few things for a fact, though.
Listening (like real listening - empathising and all) can help make stuff better.
Don't be too open, though. Nobody can resist long enough brainwashing.
There are things that are obviously wrong and I don't mean the homosexuals.
Being a good person is one of the hardest things to do. Even trying is difficult.
But it's all worth it.
