The privacy of your own heart

New York Times columnist David Brooks (remember him from The Social Animal reading this summer? that's Brooks on the left), published an article today titled "If It Feels Right ...." The teaser for the article, which was embedded in the e-mail alert I was sent, reads: "The rise of moral individualism has produced a generation unable to speak intelligibly about the virtuous life."  This seemed to me relevant to some discussions we've been having in class and on-line about the moral relativism and happiness (and Mother Night).

While reading the article, I was especially struck by this passage:

"Many [young people] were quick to talk about their moral feelings but hesitant to link these feelings to any broader thinking about a shared moral framework or obligation. As one put it, 'I mean, I guess what makes something right is how I feel about it. But different people feel different ways, so I couldn’t speak on behalf of anyone else as to what’s right and wrong.'

"Smith and company found an atmosphere of extreme moral individualism — of relativism and nonjudgmentalism."

I recommend the article to you.  Click on the link above to check it out. And let us know what you think about any of this by leaving a comment in the comment box at the bottom of the page.  Is everything relative? Truth?  The meaning of a novel?  What makes people happy?

And just for fun, I'm throwing in this video of Brooks talking about The Social Animal.