How we learn Morality

Many times during our discussions in class, and again while reading the text, the question of how we learn morals has been brought up. The argument is commonly between whether we must be taught our morals or we learn them by simply being a conscious human. These two options are always pitted against each other, but after thinking on the subject I believe that in that, you need to have a combination.

A note before I go further: Some may argue with me that I am forgetting religion as a source of morals but in order to understand and learn the ways of any religion you mush first be taught them. So for the conversation right now, let us say that religion is a method to teach morals.

While we are still very young, some of our morals can be taught to us by our parents or by myths and stories (even in the format of a book or film). If we were told a story in which a character steals an apple from a grocery vendor and then was caught and punished, we would be subsequently learning that stealing is wrong because punishment follows the action. The same thing with cheating, lying, and swearing( for most people). 

At the same time once we reach a certain age and can understand the fact that eventually we will die, we realize that no person wants to die either and so there is an unmentioned agreement between most human beings (except under sever circumstances) to not kill each other. Such is that the moral to kill each other is learned.  This is the same with many other species, they will not kill each other (or sometimes even other animals) unless there is an undeniable and unavoidable threat.

This combination of morals simply inherieted by instinct and taught (by the world around us) is nessicary for a well rounded person.

Selfish vs Self Interest

Confucius believed  very heavily that in order to follow the Decree of Heaven you must be able to do something for nothing or "Acting in order to do what is right, rather that what is profitable," (16). I questioned this statement wondering if it was truly possible for someone to do something for simply moral reasons, in such a way that they gain nothing. My initial reaction was 'no, we would only ever do something that we would potentially gain from.' After talking about this very issue in class I discovered that it was a very large debate among scholars and the true issue the Confucius was concerned with was selfishness versus self interest.
Even if you do something like charity, giving your own time to help an organization like a homeless shelter, or giving money to a fundraiser, you always gain something. When people are asked why they do volunteer at a homeless shelter a common response is 'because helping people makes me feel good' or 'I want to help people.' These seem like perfectly innocent and selfless acts, but as soon as you add makes me or I want you are doing it fill your own desires.
But is this not exactly what Confucius preached; that we need to practice benevolence? There is no way to escape seeming somewhat selfish. As humans we are programmed to be so and there is nothing we can do about it. For some, this can be a very agitating thought, so let me put it in different terms for you. What Confucius warned against was taking actions that were profitable in the sense that you would gain money, or a higher position, or profit financially in any way (what we will call selfish). Instead he wished for people to take actions to help other people because they want to and it is the right thing to do, yes there is still self interest there but it is much different.
So be at ease, as humans we can not escape doing something without some sort of self interest but that is perfectly fine.

A Tad Stubborn....

Reading into Confucianism, I cannot help but think that Confucius was very persistent, if not a little stubborn. Now I do not say this to insult his ideals and ways, but rather I admire the fact that he did not give up on what he believed. Countless times in the text it is mentioned that what Confucius truly wanted, for every person to follow the way of the Sages and in turn abide by the Decree of Heaven, was nearly impossible. In fact, he himself declared "I have no hope of meeting a sage" (VII.26). Although he did believe that every person held inside themselves the potential to be a sage, he also recognized that it was a truly uncommon occurrence for anyone to actually become one. Realizing this I would think that many would turn away or reconsider their ideas. Instead, Confucius continued to teach his ideas in hopes that one day "If all people would follow this Way...Individuals would achieve perfection, society would be radically transformed and benevolence would rule" (21).

 So even though I may question some of Confucianism's prescriptions, I applaud Confucius himself for continuing on against the odds.