Is too much conscience good conscience?

I owe this posting to the TV series 'My name is Earl'. We are no stranger to the word 'karma' or the phrase 'what goes around comes around'. Alicia and Justin sang about them. But without conscience we can never understand what it is that goes around which will come back around to bite us.

So what is conscience? I do not recall being taught about it in school. Neither have my elders told me about it. In fact, it is something which I have always been baffled with. Are we born with it? Do we embrace it unconsciously as we grow up? What is it that tells our minds that something we have done or not done is right or wrong? Maybe that's why it is called conscience. It cons science!

One thing I know for sure though is that conscience, I have plenty of it in me. I always believe that if you have enough conscience, you do not need religion to guide you through life. Now before you bombard me with 101 reasons why religion is more than that, in my defence, I am never brought up to be a religious person. So don't get me wrong here. I am not saying religion is obsolete. I merely trust my conscience more.

As a general rule of thumb, our conscience tells us anything that we do or not do that hurts another person or any living creatures (if you want to take it to that extreme) is wrong. However, if you throw yourself into that equation, that's when conscience becomes somewhat grey. After all, ourself as an entity is a person too. So who does our conscience want to hurt more?

Having too much conscience teaches you to be selfless towards others. That in turn makes you become selfish towards your own self. Haven't you asked yourself 'why did I give away the last piece of pie when I wanted it so much?' before? Your conscience tells you that is the right thing to do. You feel great, doing a selfless act. Now, substitute that piece of pie with a good job, a love in your life or happiness. What does your conscience tell you to do now?

Maybe I am just trying to put the blame on something for regretting having done or not doing something in my life. But maybe it's also time my conscience starts thinking about the life of the person it is controlling and make a list. Karma #1: Making Tat miserable by telling him to be nice to other people most of the time. Ok, I said MOST of the time!

Intellectual voyeurism

Blogging. What drives us to partake in this strange activity which until two years ago I didn't know existed? Is it the need to share with others news about ourselves? Is it a way of telling people how knowledgeable or artistic we are? Whatever your reasons may be, I believe they are somehow related to 'intellectual voyeurism'.

Since young, we have been taught the skills of showing off  ourselves. What is the first essay you were asked to write in school? Myself. Invariably, all of us has been asked to stand on the chair or on the corridor for doing something wrong. And for doing something right, we were rewarded with a prize which we have to collect in front of class or on stage. We were forced into voyeurism.

Then came karaoke. A most innovative if not irritating way of showcasing our vocal talents or deafness. We became willing voyeurs. And as if that is not enough, television companies created a hub for us to reach an even wider audience. The idol series, reality television shows took over our lives.

Nowadays wherever we turn, we find ways of letting the world know our existence. Radio call-ins, chatlines, friendster. The more we can impart ourselves, the more popular the channel becomes. Which is why, I believe, blogging is the next facebook. Which is why, I have started doing this. Because like you and I, we are all desperate voyeurs. The bigger the audience the better.