*Kathleen Dean Moore* # Progressive Summary # Definitions # Chapter Notes ## Power of Moral Affirmation > the viral pathology of this non-sequitur: because I have a right to believe whatever I want, whatever I believe is right. There is a difference between the morality of prohibition and the morality of affirmation. > There's something repellent about an ethic based on prohibitions –thou shalt not, and if you do, which of course you will, you are bad, which of course you are. > A morality of affirmation, on the other hand, is a soaring invitation to affirm what you believe is good and just and beautiful and right, and to align your life to those values. There's also a difference between moralising and moral reasoning. moralising is about foisting your beliefs on others, without giving any reasons. "You should believe X. Period!" Pontificating is about foisting your beliefs on others whilst giving a very bad reason, namely your assumed authority. "You should believe X, because I believe it." When our society has turned on a dime, it has often been due to "a great tide rising of affirmation of a strongly held moral principle." Ethics is a trump card, so it has strategic value greater than the economic-gain card. "We could gain a lot of money by enslaving our neighbour's children," one might say. "But it would be wrong" is the moral rejoinder to which there is no answer. ## Why it's wrong to wreck the world # Quotes # References