That voice that some call “conscience”

Conscience, that implacable inner judge that dictates to us what is right or wrong. That voice that guides us, that speaks to us and reprimands us when we do something against its moral guidelines

Voice of conscience, this is the name given to that part of ourselves that acts as a guardian of morality. about what we think, feel or do. It is like an “other self” that encourages an internal dialogue. In that dialogue he warns, recriminates or even punishes. That voice is there to lead us, usually, to guilt.

The voice of conscience is the expression of the authority within us. That source of authority has been instilled and corresponds either to a father, or to a god, or to a religion or to any other form of power that defines standards of conduct.

“Conscience makes us discover ourselves, denounce or accuse ourselves, and in the absence of witnesses it testifies against us.”

-Michel de Montaigne-

The voice of conscience speaks to us about morality, about good customs. He seems like a prosecutor, because his role is accusatory. For some people it becomes extremely insidious. In fact, there are those who come to physically experience that voice, like a whisper in the ear that is always pointing the finger, threatening and attacking those who listen to it.

Moral conscience and prejudices

We all become people capable of living civilized in a societythanks to someone teaching us, “That is not said, that is not done, that is not touched”. In order to live with others we must give up acting by doing whatever we want. We have to give up part of our desires in the name of a healthy adaptation to some basic rules that govern the world.

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Also They instill in us from childhood a catalog of moral conscience in which there are two sections separated by a thick red line: what is good and what is bad. In general, parents or guardians are only the transmitters of a morality that has already been established by some authority. So, We learn to value good and bad from religion, law, culture or any other set of principles that govern a society.

Many of these principles and values are far from being reasonable, in most cases precisely because of the absolute and inflexible nature with which they are imposed.

Besides, These values are sometimes based on prejudices, unhealthy fears or unspeakable desires.. Some of us, for example, are taught that racial discrimination is positive because it protects the “purity” of a certain group. Others are told that masturbation can drive them crazy. In both cases, what is transmitted is irrational and yet is instilled as valid.

Moral rigidity and arbitrariness

Moral conscience is generally transmitted arbitrarily. In principle, parents and the world consider it a duty to help the child accept the moral mandates of society. They do not need to be truly aware of them, but rather to obey them.

That’s why, For many, “educate” consists of getting everyone to obey. In some families and in some societies, especially those that must transmit principles of conduct that conflict with reason, they use accusations, threats and punishment to be able to instill in their loved ones respect for certain norms.

This is what happens in cultures where, for example, there is strong discrimination against women. The catalog of behavior for them is extremely strict and full of restrictions. This is how they come to accept practices such as infibulation or physical violence by men. This can only be instilled through limitations and punishments that prevent their insubordination.

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Moral conscience and morality

All moral catalogs include some kind of irrationality. Many are directed towards sexual behavior and the relationship that is maintained with power. Many childhoods are a stage of “indoctrination”, in which the will of the individual is sought to be broken, so that they do not develop behaviors “deviant” from the norm.

Countless people deeply internalize these commands and in their adult lives they are easy prey for guilt.. In fact, they feel guilty even if it crosses their mind to question the precepts under which they have been educated.

They feel “bad” if they question their parents’ behavior or the conceptual validity of a religion. The voice of conscience becomes a persecuting instance and disturbing that keeps them “watched” and that induces them to punish themselves severely if they deviate from the mandate.

Precisely, one of the tasks of a healthy adult is to decant those values, or anti-values, in which he has been educated.

Unlike morality, ethics is a personal constructionwhich is not excessively rigid and is based on a more objective assessment of oneself and the world, in the light of reasons.

Ethics justifies actions with logical evidence and reasons of personal and social convenience.. Morality is based on prejudices, that is, on arguments that end in arbitrariness such as “because that is how it should be”, “because in the next life you will be punished” or “because that is how it is customary”. We need more ethics and less morality to have a healthy coexistence.