The Allure of Absolute Moral Clarity
Why is the claim of righteousness so powerful?
- Psychological Comfort: For the individual, believing their group is righteous provides immense psychological security. It simplifies a complex world into good vs. evil, eliminating doubt and the need for constant, painful ethical negotiation. It's comforting to be on the "right side."
- Group Cohesion: Righteousness is the ultimate binder. It elevates a collection of individuals into a moral collective with a shared, sacred mission. This profound sense of belonging fuels powerful social and political movements, from peaceful protests to revolutionary wars. The shared moral banner allows for unity and sacrifices that mere self-interest cannot command.
- Justification for Action: Critically, the declaration "We are righteous" serves as an unimpeachable license to act. Whether the action is charitable, political, or punitive, moral superiority provides the necessary conviction to proceed without hesitation. It transforms difficult choices into clear moral imperatives.
The Tyranny of Self-Assigned Virtue
The peril of this declaration emerges when righteousness hardens into self-serving dogma.
When a group believes their moral code is perfect, they cease to be receptive to criticism or change. This leads to several destructive outcomes:
- The Inversion of Justice: The pursuit of righteousness can eclipse the pursuit of justice. History shows countless instances where groups, absolutely convinced of their own virtue, committed atrocities or injustices against others. For them, the means are justified by the righteousness of the ultimate end. The victims become "unrighteous obstacles" rather than fellow humans.
- The End of Dialogue: True righteousness requires self-reflection and a constant checking of one's power. However, self-assigned righteousness often leads to intellectual arrogance. If you are the possessor of moral truth, what is there to learn from the "morally misguided"? Dialogue is replaced by sermonizing, and compromise is seen as moral capitulation.
- The Birth of Fundamentalism: In all spheres—religious, political, or social—the core of fundamentalism is the unwavering belief in one's own absolute and eternal correctness. This stance is inherently static and intolerant, resisting the dynamic nature of truth and the necessity of human evolution.
Redefining Righteousness: The Path of Humility
To harness the positive power of moral conviction without succumbing to its pitfalls, we must reframe the concept of righteousness. It should be seen not as a status that is achieved and owned, but as a constant, difficult process.
Instead of declaring "We are righteous," a healthier moral foundation rests on the pursuit of:
- Right Action: Focus on integrity and empathy in daily choices, treating righteousness as a verb, not a noun. This involves constantly measuring actions against a standard of universal human dignity, not just group loyalty.
- Moral Courage with Openness: Holding fast to one's core ethical beliefs while remaining radically open to being wrong about the details. True courage is not just standing up for what you believe, but also having the humility to change your mind when confronted with a better moral argument.
- The Shared Struggle: Recognizing that the struggle for justice and truth is not a battle between the perfectly righteous and the utterly depraved, but a shared human endeavor. It requires collaboration across ideological lines, driven by a mutual respect for the inherent worth of every individual.
The moral power of "We are righteous" can lift humanity to great heights, but only if it is eternally tempered by the awareness that the highest form of virtue is humility.