Brandon Warmke, a philosophy professor and co-author of "Why It's Okay to Mind Your Own Business," challenges the grandiose advice often given at graduation. He argues for the importance of focusing on personal ethics and making a difference within our own communities instead of trying to save the world. Warmke highlights the dangers of moral intervention and the value of rooting ourselves in local contributions. He emphasizes how small acts of kindness and nurturing environments can lead to profound personal and community growth.
Commencement speech morality distorts our moral vision by prioritizing large-scale problems, neglecting the value of ordinary morality and smaller acts of kindness and preservation.
Moralizing and being a busybody involve overstepping boundaries, undermining the impact of moral enforcement and harming others; understanding the limits of moral enforcement is crucial.
Deep dives
The Distortion of Commencement Speech Morality
Commencement speech morality, which focuses on solving large-scale problems and making a name for oneself, distorts our moral vision by prioritizing one version of the good life. It encourages individuals to prioritize political engagement and saving the world, disregarding the value of ordinary morality. This outlook simplifies moral life and overlooks the importance of smaller, daily acts of kindness and preservation. By emphasizing the need for individuals to solve the world's biggest problems, commencement speech morality neglects the significance of personal relationships, such as reading to children, coaching T-ball, and volunteering at local libraries. The chapter argues for an alternative outlook called ordinary morality, which encompasses a wider range of important aspects in life.
The Dangers of Moralizing and Being a Busybody
Moralizing involves overstepping boundaries in enforcing morality, often by intervening in other people's lives without sufficient reason, knowledge, or social standing. It can lead to an inappropriate exercise of moral enforcement, blaming, and lecturing. Busybodies, on the other hand, involve themselves too much in helping and solving others' problems. By interfering inappropriately, they fail to mind their own business. These actions can undermine the usefulness and impact of moral enforcement, causing harm instead of good. The chapter highlights the importance of understanding the limits of moral enforcement and avoiding overstepping boundaries, allowing people to deal with their own lives and make their own decisions.
The Value of Rootedness in Communities and Good Homes
Rootedness involves establishing strong connections with one's local community and creating a good home. This means feeling attached, loyal, and affectionate towards one's place of residence. Rootedness provides a refuge, contributes to one's sense of security, and allows individuals to appreciate and maintain their habitats and institutions. A good home offers physical and emotional safety, peace, and a welcoming environment. It also serves as a laboratory for practicing virtues, nurturing relationships, and developing social skills. By focusing on creating and maintaining good homes and strong community connections, individuals can positively impact the world.
The Importance of Solitude and the Pursuit of Personal Growth
Solitude allows individuals to rest, recharge, and develop intellectually. Spending time alone offers a break from constant social interactions and societal expectations. It provides the opportunity for critical distance and the chance to assess society objectively. Solitude enables individuals to appreciate natural beauty, practice artistic talents, and achieve personal growth. It also fosters restful introspection and enables individuals to become more lovable, focusing on themselves and their well-being. By valuing solitude, individuals can find peace, intellectual freedom, and personal growth, contributing to an overall better world.
Attend the graduation of a college senior, and the commencement speech is likely to include a few themes: Do something big. Make a name for yourself. Change the world.
My guest is not a fan of this advice, and says that rather than focusing on solving large-scale problems, we ought to concentrate on making things better in our own backyards.
Brandon Warmke is a professor of philosophy and the co-author of Why It's OK to Mind Your Own Business. Today on the show, Brandon explains why what he calls "commencement speech morality" distorts our moral vision by emphasizing one version of the good and valuable life, at the expense of the value and good of a life marked by "ordinary morality." Brandon first unpacks the dangers of intervening in other people's business, including becoming a moralizer and a busybody. He then makes a case for the benefits of minding your own business and putting down roots, creating a good home, and living in solitude, and for how a smaller, quieter life can still be generous, important, and noble.
