For the Greater Good?

Superheroes are known for saving the world. The world is generally understood as being the greater good when compared to smaller loves, such as a city or a family. In fact, oftentimes, a comic book superhero's conflict would be choosing between that which is personal to him and that which is his duty.

Should he save his girlfriend or his city?

When in time-sensitive, pressured situations, most people will gravitate towards what they care most about and generally, this is the personal option.

In the case of the American legal system, the lesser of two evils is often chosen. The court can be and has been manipulated to pay special attention to certain facets of a case and turn a blinder eye at other facets. There is usually a set agenda and the agenda generally favors the will of the majority, what is widely viewed as 'the greater good'. (http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/scottsboro/scottsb.htm)

There are many cases that go against that agenda and go on to form landmark cases that set precedent. Perhaps the most famous example is Brown v Board of Ed (1954). At that time, the American majority were middle class white families. This is slowly becoming less the case but is still very much the reality.

These families placed their children in segregated schools because of widespread beliefs of minority inferiority, of how their children might be poisoned in some unfeasible manner by the black children. Most people nowadays know this is not true, and all American public schools are integrated by law.

The will of the majority -segregation- was the greater good for 1954 white America.

There are many minorities fighting to realize their goals, fighting to determine the universal greater good.

There is no one guiding humanity, instructing us what to do with our lives and clearly defining the greater good. We as a species do not have a specified leader that can dictate to us what we are striving for, what is best for us.

I think we've got to settle for fumbling around, living our lives. We can each set our own greater good, and spend our lives trying to make that happen. Majorities of opinion do turn up and for stretches of time, it seems like a greater good as been decided upon (Hitler? MacArthur? Cat's Cradle?). Eventually, movements fizzle out and it becomes all too apparent that there is no set rule.

Life is dynamic, go try to find your own greater good.