"I think I am a reasonably good person. I do not hurt people, I do not break the law, I respect my friends, family, peers and colleagues, and I generally try to do the right thing. Although many of you will share these characteristics, the issue of whether we are moral human beings is jaded by the perception of morality actually constitutes.
"Morality is of course a concept that can be based upon cultural localisation and beliefs. To some, it is perfectly moral the kill a person if they commit a capital offence. To others, this represents a sin or offence against human rights. Your choice on the matter is largely based upon your understanding of the issues and your core beliefs structure. Although this sheds some light in the fact that morality can change from one person to another, there is still a fundamental belief structure that states that a human being has a list of ideals that they should live their life by.
"To me, free software is something that has really captured the concept of morality and dragged it to a new form and importance. Many of us will have been tarnished by the morality forced onto us by older generations, and in some ways resented these ideals and the ways they were administered. It is not that the fundamental ideals were wrong, but being told to do something as opposed to choosing to do something yourself are two different issues. As such, morality has taken a back burner and been replaced simply by conscious thought and decision making that keeps people on the right path..."
