MovieChat Forums > Religulous (2008) Discussion > Individual vs populus

Individual vs populus

posted 10 years ago by Devils-Night
2 replies | jump to latest

More often than not the public doesn't know what is best. They just desire what is familiar and outwardly seem profitable to them. In unison they come together to try and control their societies with their most popular ideas about what they think is best for them. Sometimes these (often uneducated) ideas lead to even worse societal rules and living standards, such as how societies have grown in many parts of the middle east with Saddam and the like.

Something popular isn't necessarily correct or moral. Neither are something already legislated and standardized.

So can an individual know what is best for mankind even if he stand alone with his opinion/fact? And if so, is he morally authorized to engage his plan to achieve this even if many disagree with it?
Obviously many would consider such an act immoral (and perhaps even criminal) since they don't share this same view. But if you truly care for mankind then should such a thing matter? Can one man change everything, and if so should he?

EDIT: Oh wait, this wasn't supposed to be posted here! Oh well, if anyone (ever) comes by they can share what they think. Come to the philosophy board though if you want a discussion.

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[–] Rizzyay 9 years ago

"So can an individual know what is best for mankind even if he stand alone with his opinion/fact? And if so, is he morally authorized to engage his plan to achieve this even if many disagree with it?"

Yes, interresting. Some people chooce to follow their "inner moral compass" (or, in some rare cases, even their brains) even though they are doing it all by themselves, without any support at all. What brave men and women! Some of these people are propably psychotic, though, but some rare individuals are almost like real-life saints. Neither the psychotic ones or the saints propably don't give a rat's ass about what the public opinion thinks. The question, however, is: how can the rest of us tell the difference between the psychotic ones and the saints, if we don't have popular or legislative standards?

[–] Blueghost 7 years ago

Well, society continues to evolve with good and bad ideas. I tend to shrug my shoulders at it. I can't change the Catholic church nor convert all the muslims in the world.

The best I can do is put forth what I believe in the most reasonable and easy to understand way I can, and hope that the soundness of what I say will stand on its own.

That verse a preacher who yells, or a more sedate pastor who shows reverence to the writings he's citing and in this way emotionally sway those listening to him.

I don't think most people who are religious will ever totally shake their beliefs. We're just hard wired to fear what's unknown, because we don't know whether it'll hurt us or not, even if all that idea is is a ghost.

Such is the world.