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The Slippery Slope of Relativism  

Relativism : A theory, especially in ethics or aesthetics, that conceptions of truth and moral values are not absolute but are relative to the persons or groups holding them; the philosophical doctrine that all criteria of judgment are relative to the individuals and situations involved

I want to inform you in advance that this ezine is not politically correct, so read on at your own risk.

The world has never been more polarized. Would you say that’s a fair observation? Most would at least acknowledge the possibility. 

Two belief positions feeding this polarization are political correctness and relativism.

Relativism, in its intent to honor an individual’s personal journey, opens up an unstoppable Pandora’s Box. The philosophical position of relativism embraces that, at any given moment, a person not only can but will determine what is right or wrong for him or her. Relativism means no societal norms, standards, or beliefs; for a relativist, norms are constantly fluctuating and being established in the moment by each person.

In the past, our society and its citizens had the freedom of choice, within the context of right or wrong, based on societal norms and standards. Lacking a baseline, relativism leads down the path of anarchy.

For a brief time in my life, I embraced relativism. Through personal experience, it became clear it’s a dangerous and destructive deep hole. 

In other articles, I have written about successful leaders, parents, and individuals. One of the underlining principles is that these individuals are grounded, centered, and know what they stand for. Their belief systems are firmly established and not fluctuating. In his book, Transforming Leadership, Dr. Terry Anderson documents this foundation as an essential quality/characteristic of a successful leader. This stability allows people to fully embrace their life and opportunities. These moral truths and values are used to make decisions on a daily basis.

The challenge is that you can’t partially embrace relativism. You either hold relativism as a belief system or you don’t. If you include restrictions, it’s no longer relativism. 

Think about this. You have embraced relativism. Every choice, decision, and interaction in your life now is evaluated in the context of your relative belief system, which is always in flux. There is no anchor point because, as a relativist, you can’t have one. At best you are constantly having to establish guidelines rather than living in the moment. At worst this becomes a place of chaos and confusion for individuals. 

Relativism justifies world events such as occurred in Madrid, Manila, Tokyo, London, Oklahoma, and New York because the individuals who perpetrated those deeds established their own moral values and truths.

Relativism stands for everything and nothing—at the same time! The evidence of the negative impact of relativism is overwhelming. In a society where there has never been more opportunity, wealth, and convenience, we have the following.

• Suicide and low self-worth in teenagers is on an increase.
• Eight out of 10 individuals feel dissatisfied with their lives.
• Violence in the workplace has never been higher.
• Global polarization and violence is rampant.

Relativism means there is no REAL truth, only the truth I personally bring to the situation. This contributes to lost wandering souls, wondering if there really is a purpose for them in this life. 

Have you ever looked deeply into the eyes of a homeless person who has lost all hope, direction or purpose in their life? It is one of the saddest conditions you will ever experience. Though the condition is different, relativism over time does the same thing to a person’s soul.

Regardless of where you are, there is hope. I am challenging the premise that relativism is relative. There does exist moral values and truth to guide us in our lives. Truth really does set you free to fully engage your life. 

We each need a place we can call home and values we can count on. Otherwise, for all intents and purposes, we are homeless.

This does not mean we do not embrace our own uniqueness or personal life journey – we just happen to have a road map that assists us to stay in a safe zone rather than ending up out of bounds and lost.

To help you on your journey I am recommending five CRG resources that will help you benchmark your progress, point you toward your strengths, and help you as an individual to make wise choices:My Source EXPERIENCE Journal, Personal Style Indicator, Values Preference Indicator, Self-Worth Inventory, and the Stress and Health Indicator.

The Slippery Slope of Relativism

1. What is your position on relativism?
2. How did you come to this understanding?
3. Relativism is used by world groups to justify actions such as Madrid, Manila, London, Tokyo, New York, and Oklahoma.
4. Relativism is the equivalent of being homeless, without any anchor points. How grounded and clear are you about your beliefs?
5. Effective Leadership research has documented that the most successful individuals are unambiguous about their values and moral compass. What would others say about you? Why do you believe that?
6. What issues and areas could you clarify and confirm through your beliefs?
7. Contrary to some suggestions, truth does not hinder your personal freedoms; it allows you to embrace life more fully, without doubts or confusion.
8. My new book My Source Experience Journal™ will take you down a structured process to confirm your purpose and passion and start you on your path to belief-clarification.
9. Truth does and will set you free.