If you choose to rule your own behaviour by having morals (that you have figured out through trial and error work for you as a person) you are then considered to be judgemental, on your high horse, think you are better/morally superior than others?
If you have little restraint on your behaviour, (you have not thought too much on the impact of your behaviour), you are a bad person, morally bankrupt and will probably end up in jail.
Where is the middle road, or is there not one?

I treat people as I want to be treated. Nice, friendly, caring, tolerant, etc. I know folks that fit both of your examples to a tee. They don't last very long as friends.

So if your a sociapath...?
May I elaborate... Sociapaths would think they are doing just that....

My take:

There is always a middle road.
Balance is important.
What matters is what you value most in life.
Others would always see you the way they perceive things.
Either they will find you self-righteous or a victim.
What matters is how you see yourself and how your love ones see u.

There are always areas in one's life, that you lack the knowledge and experience and somehow blundered your way into a given situation.
It happens to everyone.
That doesn't necessarily mean you are a bad person or morally bankrupt.

Trial and error for me is case to case bases.
Applicable to any aspects of my life except
on love,loving a man, commitment & marriage..

Having morals for me is always best.
Though morals is subjective in itself.
if you have morals, you wont intentionally
hurt or lash out to someone..you always hold back.
Decency.Accountability.- it dictates who you are as a
person.. no matter how other people sees you.

Well personally.. I'm a little

Wise words Angel

Personally I am a mixture

I just try to do the right thing and be a good example for my kids.

This morning, I realized I had overlooked my son's reading log which was due today. He was to read 3 books and provide various feedback. We only had 20 minutes before we had to leave.

I thought maybe to just fill the log out as if he had done it, so rushed. Then I thought, no, that's not good for my son to have to perpuate my lie. Not a good lesson.

So I quickly grabbed 3 very short readers and asked him to speed read them and give me the feedback. He was speed reading and groveling at the same time. Lol.

In the end, he felt good that he completed the assignment on time. And I felt good for having done the right thing.

Very well written and insightful! I like your perspective.

Some really honest answers here.
Who it is that perceives us is of importance to us.
If you do not value a person's opinion, it is irrelevant.

you second choice is very undesirable and i hope never to be even considered part of that group. nor do i care to associate with that group either.

now your first choice is a little weird because it fits most people plus what you are taught growing up. but only a very small percent actually demonstrate the superiority that you finish it with.

so to answer which is best the first as long as itis not taken to that extreme

What do you mean 'demonstrate the superiority that I finish with'?
Do you mean people say one thing and do another?
How is this weird?
If you have morals, people say daft things like, 'you think you are perfect'.
If you do not have morals people say daft things like ' you are too liberal, you are inconsiderate'?
Where is the middle ground, or is there no middle ground?

ohhh..(Behave) . I give you a spanking but you'd probably like it too much

Give your girlfriend a spanking, I have morals...
Yes please lol
Middle ground.... meh, I am not bothered

wahahahaha...just cant resist this..

morals and spanking in one sentence?

Well I always love being disciplined..

lol, it is all ridiculous. going to sleep. goodnight

Funny, now the topic has changed to spanking and away from the original question. But here in the states, there are very few folks, that I would say has high morals and can get away with it. If your a politician, no way, because you'll say anything just to win the vote. If you're a sports plays, again, no way, because you are taught winning is everything. Finance, again, how can you keep a straight face, loaning out money to folks you know can't pay it back. And preachers, they have to be the worse, begging for money from their congregation, so they can live in mansions and have nice material items.

And we have plenty of folks with low morals. How about the ones that can work, but instead prefer to get handouts from the government instead? My favorite hardware store is next to the county family services building and to see the "underprivileged" going in and out of that building makes me sick. I feel like yelling over to them, to go get a job and pay your taxes like everyone else.

I think the middle ground is when you look at yourself in the mirror and know you have not sold yourself or anyone else out.

It is real easy for people who want to exploit you will tell you that you are a snob, moralist, so on, so forth, but they are the same ones who will cut and run when the going gets tough from the choices they made and the restraint they did not use comes home to roost. Often leaving you to get stuck with the tab.

I think you have to be a realist and not expect people to never make a mistake but if they are chronically whining how life is not fair it is usually just karma catching up with them.

And yes some appearingly successful people will tell you that your uptight ways are out of date and everybody is doing it but my question always is if everybody is doing it why are you pressuring me so hard to do it if there are so many other opportunities?

Morals...personal integrity...self esteem...pride and humility...standards and double standards...reservations and open-mindedness...

I think all these are subjective and everyone is open to everyone's personal, perceived interpretation and misinterpretation. Morality has too many measuring sticks.

Nowadays, the concept of an objective, universal basis for morality is practically nil...One man's treasure is another man's trash.

When you give in to what others think is right, you can either be considered as accommodating or a push-over.
When you stand up for what you believe to be right, you can either be considered as arrogant or principled.

Personally, i know that the one thing we all have room for in our lives...is improvement.
The middle ground...is that in the end...you have to actually know, acknowledge and like who you see in the mirror....every second, every minute, everyday...

JMO

I think for me this can be a tricky thought process. Of course I have my own set of code of conduct,morals, belief systems, and ethics. I have been taught since birth and adapted to make them mine personally. In saying that mouthful, there has to be a middle ground when dealing with others.

I personally don't judge what someone else does, that is for them to decide on how they want to do things for themselves. I don't walk in their shoes I have a hard enough time walking in my own.

So to me, there is no black and white on this question, we do the best we can for ourselves doing our level best to do no harm to others if possible.