Stoplight revelations
--I was driving around town the other night, sort of late, and I came across a revelation about the nature of stoplights, the part they play in society, and how the simple mechanics of stoplight ethics tells us more about ourselves than we might think.
I will give you a little background as to why this sort of issue has been on my heart lately. Being one that believes in absolute, reasonable truth submits one to vigorous opposition from those that would claim truth is merely relative, and made that way by the society and/or environment one grows up in or is a part of. I believe 2 + 2 = 4. I believe that to be true not only always, but also everywhere and anywhere in the universe. I don’t believe arithmetic is merely a product of a few mens’ invention and I don’t believe it changes from society to society, from school of thought to school of thought. I also believe the essence of 2 + 2+ = 4 has always existed since the creation of the universe. I don’t believe math was created when we created it. It has always been, since the point of singularity. Simply put; I believe 2 + 2 = 4 is an absolute truth.
How does this all have to do with stoplights you might ask? Simple. Despite our best efforts to want to believe otherwise, stoplights in theory, and generally in practice, are the best way to govern automotive transportation in a civilized society. The particulars of how the practice is carried out may vary from place to place, country to country, but every human that’s ever seen or driven a car know that traffic lights are necessary for sane, safe, and efficient automation within a populated area.
The philosophical thought I’m permeating here is that the advent of stoplights, and the obedience of their laws, is the only way for traffic to work the best. This connotates an absolute statement. “Well you’re wrong Keith. If people would only cater to being unselfish and exhibited patience while driving, stoplights would be rendered obsolete.” That is a true statement in theory. But that hypothesis falls flat when tested within the confines of our closed system universe; and more specific on planet Earth. People, by nature, aren’t unselfish and don’t exhibit patience, especially at the wheel. Therefore, considering the circumstances of human nature, and considering that automobiles are operated by these humans, civilization must enact some form of law to regulate motorists’ activity. Stoplights do just that. Though exceptions do occur, and the law is broken by many motorists, the majority of automobile activity proceeds without incident and those that break the law pay the consequences whether it is tickets, jail time, or revocation of licenses.
The ironic thing I find in all of this is that I’m not aware of anyone that has actually protested the use of traffic lights in society. That’d be silly you say? Well why? And the answer is exactly what we all know it to be. Traffic lights are a necessary law to maintain order. No one protests them because everyone knows, though we may not like them all the time, that we need them. Wouldn’t it be funny if someone showed up at the state courthouse or Supreme Court protesting that stoplights restricted our rights to pursue life, liberty, happiness, and going through intersections unabated? Technically that red light is restricting me from going where I want to go. Therefore it is in violation with my civil liberties. This is only ludicrous talk, yet for society to unconsciously declare stoplights work for all peoples in all societies containing motorists is a bit hypocritical don’t you think? I mean when it comes to murder penalties, sexual conduct, fetal rights, etc., people protest out the wazoo when they can’t do what they want to do, if the government's laws restrict them so. Why should stoplights be any different? Well obviously the aforementioned issues strike more resonate chords in most every human’s soul as opposed to stoplights, but the principle is the same. I believe somehow though as a civilized society, we’ve proved ourselves hypocrites by allowing stoplights to exist and to be still declaring moral truth is all relative or that the notion of only one way to salvation are crazy. They are not, and I have the red, yellow, and green lights to prove it.