Post by smj on Apr 9, 2007 22:58:24 GMT -5
Ethics. Standards of conduct and moral judgment, the code of morals of a particular person, religion, group, or profession, etc.
The biggest problem with what is, or is not, ethical is that the basis of opinion is ever changing as the wants and needs of the society we live in redefine themselves. This is one reason why there is a “generation gap.” (We now have at least a partial society that believes animals have the same rights as humans.) Typically, when the topic of ethics in archery comes up, most want to point to differences in personal beliefs, personal ethics, to portray what is or is not ethical for everyone. Yet the suggested standard only applies to that one individual. This is fine for that one individual, but since most archers are fiercely independent this can end up doing little for the sport as it tends to lead to division among archers. Now in spite of this, with the press seemingly against us and the number of non-hunters growing around our country – it is certainly in our interest to pick up on the emotional swing going on and, in effect, police ourselves rather than sit back and wait for it to be done to us. After all, what do ethics boil down to in our society? It seems like it usually boils down to the introduction of a new law, or the cancellation of an old one! Some group or another gathers up votes and promotes their view of the issue and then convinces others – who might not otherwise even have an opinion on the subject – to vote along with them. If you don’t like someone’s personal ethics, then you pass a law to make them toe the mark. If this should happen with respect to archery, it will not matter what you shoot, or how far you shoot it. It will not matter if you are a good, bad, or somewhere in-between hunter.
I know that this does not answer the question of what is, or is not, ethical in the sport of archery – specifically hunting with the bow and arrow. But the above consideration, another of enforcement, and yet another with the line being drawn between compound and traditional, keeps me rather frustrated with the whole subject!!! I look forward to your comments, and will add to (some may think subtract from!) your comments when and if I can.
The biggest problem with what is, or is not, ethical is that the basis of opinion is ever changing as the wants and needs of the society we live in redefine themselves. This is one reason why there is a “generation gap.” (We now have at least a partial society that believes animals have the same rights as humans.) Typically, when the topic of ethics in archery comes up, most want to point to differences in personal beliefs, personal ethics, to portray what is or is not ethical for everyone. Yet the suggested standard only applies to that one individual. This is fine for that one individual, but since most archers are fiercely independent this can end up doing little for the sport as it tends to lead to division among archers. Now in spite of this, with the press seemingly against us and the number of non-hunters growing around our country – it is certainly in our interest to pick up on the emotional swing going on and, in effect, police ourselves rather than sit back and wait for it to be done to us. After all, what do ethics boil down to in our society? It seems like it usually boils down to the introduction of a new law, or the cancellation of an old one! Some group or another gathers up votes and promotes their view of the issue and then convinces others – who might not otherwise even have an opinion on the subject – to vote along with them. If you don’t like someone’s personal ethics, then you pass a law to make them toe the mark. If this should happen with respect to archery, it will not matter what you shoot, or how far you shoot it. It will not matter if you are a good, bad, or somewhere in-between hunter.
I know that this does not answer the question of what is, or is not, ethical in the sport of archery – specifically hunting with the bow and arrow. But the above consideration, another of enforcement, and yet another with the line being drawn between compound and traditional, keeps me rather frustrated with the whole subject!!! I look forward to your comments, and will add to (some may think subtract from!) your comments when and if I can.
