“Rules are for Fools” – Part 1 – Re-set Your Moral Compass

You may have noticed that I recently quoted rules in my blog, the more observant of you would probably have realised I had taken a liberty and had mixed rules from my different lists.

We are all governed by laws but we each adopt our own rules and use them in life.
Now the big rules, are more often like the ones Moses delivered, albeit adjusted for modern life and discounted if our lifestyle deems fit, and luckily most of us adopt these in life.
To be honest for most of us the big rules are not to be broken and we don’t need reminding of them, but we need to be aware of the consequences of breaking the rules.

Life though requires all of us to adopt  and accept the more subtle rules and we learn these as we grow and recognise their importance. These rules are often universally understood  and accepted, others are more our own and, in many ways, establish where our own moral compass sits in today’s society.

Now even I have recognised in my life that moral standards have changed, often declined in my mind, but definitely changed. Sometimes for the good, other times not so good or in many cases downright wrong, with laws having been passed to legalise many things that had previously been unlawful.

At the start of the fifties my parents didn’t have sex before marriage and having a child outside wedlock was seriously a no-go area, with abortion not legalised until 1967, while male homosexuality was unlawful and if you committed murder, you faced the death sentence.

Now those of certain age may well still believe that all the above should still be the rules, while many of a younger generation would be appalled by any of the restrictions they impose.

Now just because there are rules or laws this doesn’t mean that we all follow them religiously, and that I guess is the beauty of choice, but the issue remain if you choose not to abide by the law or the rules there are consequences, some far more onerous than others, but consequences non the less.

Now in some instances the rule breaking is not serious, and as they are not too numerous but minor and as a result are acceptable. Exceeding the speed limit, for example, as an individual happens frequently, but it may only be by a few miles an hour, some though stick faithfully to 70 mph or 30 mph, much to the frustration of many, as even the enforcers allow some wriggle room, 10% + 2mph in most instances.

However, if we exceed it and if we are caught, we know there are consequences 3 points and £100 at the very least, raising as you take the p**s.

Nevertheless, where you set your moral compass will dictate where you adopt a speeding rule and if you are like me and it’s a glorious summers day at 5am and the roads are not busy then I find the draconian speed limits unreasonably low, however a miserable foggy and frosty winters night the limit is far too high.

Your choice, as to what you feel is the speed to drive, but you are, regardless of the circumstances, aware of the consequences of breaking the law.

In life therefore I have, and possibly everyone has, some more subconsciously, established the rules they adopt, and feel are appropriate.

I always allow a woman to go through a door first, some feminist would feel this totally unnecessary, I also always say please and thank you to anyone and everyone, no matter what the circumstances or country I am in, some may deem this as unnecessary because their standing in life, but they are rules I adopt and maybe others should also.

To conclude. perhaps you are like me and Mary Poppins, being ‘practically perfect in every way’ but non the less I do feel what is required and this is true for social media users and the world in general, is that our moral compass is well overdue a re-set.