ETHICS AND SOLIDARITY
Morality is the human attempt to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong, with respect to our actions or thought. This, however, does not guarantee that humans are motivated to perform generous or kind ideas. In the show Game of Thrones, which has become a global phenomenon over the years, there is a lot to learn about morality. Moral psychology was probably not why most people were attracted to the show, especially with fantasy features such as dragons, ice-zombies and magic, but the moral challenges faced by the characters throughout the show are genuine and follow a profound logic. One such character was Jon Snow, a young man rising through the ranks of leadership as a Night Watch in Westeros.
Throughout the series, Jon Snow’s style of leadership is a depiction of his morality. He can be seen as a leader who acts out not in self-interest, but for the good of others. Jon Snow, who has traits like his adoptive father Ned Stark is the embodies of goodness more than anyone. Jon Snow can best be described as a moral person in leading the Night Watch and ultimately the entire house of Stark. Jon Snow always stood up for others. We are introduced to Jon Snow as a bastard son because he did not know his biological father, and grew up as a bastard child of Ned Stark, which often led to people judging him a lot. But he always stood up for people. For instance, when he met Sam Tarly, an aspiring Night Watch, he was being beaten up badly by the other recruits. We can all see that Sam is not the average Night Watch, and we cast doubt on his prospects. But Jon does not, he defended him and encouraged him that he could become a Night Watch with more training. Jon Snow even went ahead and threaten one of the recruits with the Ghost the Direwolf of Jon, if he ever bothers Sam again. This demonstrates his empathy and loyalty to one of his own. Jon would continue to nurture him, and Sam would eventually repay him by electing him as Lord Commander and ultimately become a Master of the Watch in Citadel.
Jon Snow always put strategy and logic over honour. During the massacre at Hardome, Jon decides to work with the wildings. A vow that he took as a Night Watch says that he fights the Wildings and protects the realm, but he knows that doing the right thing will give the Night King more meat for his army. For doing this, Jon Snow is given a few stabs by the Night Watch members but is quickly revived by Melissandre. This move though being unwise, gave him an ally during the Battle of the Bastards. Another logical decision that Jon Snow made was to kill Daenerys, which would eventually save millions and possibly billions of people from her wrath and her army. When she threatened Winterfell, which was Jon Snow and his family’s home, the most honourable thing to do would have been to try and talk Daenerys out of it, but as viewers, we doubt if she would have listened. Eventually, having been faced with a choice of either honour and doing the right thing, he chose the right thing, which was not an easy thing to do. By this, we learn that Jon Snow is a man bound not by honour, but by what is right. Which begs the question, was it morally right for him to betray his vows of fighting the Wildings or working with them to build a powerful ally?. Morally, yes. Sometimes, it may not be the best thing to do with the circumstances, but the right thing is always paramount. Solidarity includes having to sacrifice a lot for the welfare of the group (Margalit, 2011). In our human interactions, sometimes we are faced with situations where we have to put aside our differences if we want to survive. The question is whether we are willing to do what is right or what is honourable.
Jon Snow is willing to sacrifice for the survival of his people. When the castle is attacked, and Janos hides inside, there was an opportunity for Jon Snow to take charge of defence. He came face to face with Styr of the tribe of the free folk(Magnar of the Thenn) and was still willing to fight regardless of what would happen. Also, during the civil war, Jon Snow went to negotiate with Mance Rayder to stop it so that no one would have to suffer anymore. This is a highly noble action that a servant leader demonstrates. Morality often does not mean having to abandon principles, but instead choosing a more practical solution to the problem. This situation creates a situation of a moral dilemma. This can be resolved by finding a higher-ranking obligation which outranks the lower ranking competing obligation (Rorty & Richard, 1989). This way, one can find the best solution without having to sacrifice morality.
His honesty was also a moral behaviour to be admired. Throughout the series, Jon Snow had informed all his allies that he did not intend to be a king, but he had to accept it because it was what they wanted. At one point, we can see him confessing that he cannot pledge his loyalty to Cercei, Queen of the Iron Throne as he had already pledged for Daenerys after she saved him and his men from the whites and Viserion (one of her three dragons). Sometimes situations whereby he would need a powerful ally to defeat his enemy, but he would still maintain the truth. As human beings, we are morally obliged to be honest in our actions and thoughts, but we are not bound by it. The entire human experience is a thin line between extremities put forth by moral obligation such as force and reason (Rorty & Richard, 1989). This means that sometimes we find ourselves lying out of a situation whose outcome would benefit us, but may not be the best answer. In cases, it is often essential to understand that lying will, in some circumstances, become exposed and that it is usually good, to be honest.
In reality, human beings do not necessarily make the best moral decisions and would often decide based on situations. Laws and not morals guide today’s society. This is because laws have explicit rules and can be officiated while moral values at times are relative. The society has lost its moral values and is attributed to a change in personal costs due to factors like own ambitions and greed.
References
Margalit, A. (2011). Why are you betraying your class?. European Journal of Philosophy, 19(2), 171-183.
Rorty, R. M., Rorty, R., & Richard, R. (1989). Contingency, irony, and solidarity. Cambridge University Press.