Moral Dilemmas

While away this weekend, we had some great moral dilemma discussions. One of the guys on the trip brought along a book that gives little stories presenting a moral dilemma and then an academic discussion of the dilemma. Interesting how opinionated people can be.

I struggle with thinking that it's good to have an opinion and be able to defend and justify it but I also feel like it's good to see all sides of a perspective and not hold so tightly to one's opinions. Aren't these opinions and believes we hold to so strongly the same thing that causes war, suffering and hate?

But then, without opinions are we just puttering along, easily swayed in various directions without any true center or direction?

I don't know. I know I tend to be a people pleaser and have an easy time seeing multiple perspectives (usually). I tend to waffle on things because I can see how both sides of an argument have good points. I do tend to be able to make a decision or take a side when required, but it isn't something I naturally do. I don't tend to assert an opinion and defend it. Partially because I tend to avoid conflict and partially because I lack the passion to do so.

Passion is an interesting term. It is so often used in the positive context. Passionate about your career, etc. Yet Buddhism tends to see passion as the opposite of hate, and associate it with craving and longing. Is it possible to have passion without craving and attachment? I don't know.

Passion could also be seen as the opposite of indifference, which again is not desirable in that it is simply disengaging with the world. We need to engage passionately, but without attachment to outcomes. We can argue our point, as long as we aren't attached to it.