Beliefs

beliefs.md

My beliefs

Foundation

Some of the Unitarian Universalist principles are good building-blocks:

[We] affirm and promote:

• The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

• Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;
• A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;
• The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;
• Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

But the first one is the most crucial and radical.

On morality

• Worth and dignity are inherent — they don't have to be earned or deserved
• People are basically good, but often scared or confused
• Outcomes matter more than intentions
• Thoughtfulness is harder than meaning well

On politics, law, and society

• Laws are an ineffective way to communicate preferences about human behavior
• Policies, including laws, often have unintended consequences (intentions are for shit; consequences affect people)
• The justice system should optimize for rehabilitation and prevention, rather than retribution
• Unenforceable laws erode trust and undermine the social contract
• The rights of minorities will always need protecting

Specific issues

• Abortion should be legal and available everywhere
• The law should support committed partnerships that help adults care for each other and children
  • That's unlikely; gay marriage should be legal
• Marijuana should be legal and regulated
• Drug consumption should be decriminalized, even when sale is illegal
• The death penalty should never be used (it doesn't deter, it's more expensive, and can only be retributive)
• Owning a gun (designed for limited self-defense and/or precise hunting) should require a license, a background check, and safety certification

On humans and spirituality

On economics and structures

On health

• Moving is good
• Bodies are pretty good at communicating, and ignoring them is dangerous
• Vaccines are important

On gender

• Masculinity and femininity are performative — that is, we inscribe and reinforce them through behavior
• Heterosexuality is normative (or mandatory), in ways that are often invisible and easy to forget
• The constraints of gender often lead to failures of empathy and humanity

On technology

** Many thanks to Buster Benson for the idea, structure, and a few turns of phrase