- Joined
- Dec 17, 2022
Nick's working model for morality... doesn't work. Morality as strictly defined as relative to different geography and culture is one of the reasons why incompatible values breed conflict between people on a global scale. It is a problem in itself, and not a working model for anything other than submission to a local governing authority and guaranteed conflict with those outside who are morally wrong (and can therefore be righteously persecuted in defense of the moral good). It also complicates how one would define an unjust law or recognize a corrupt system. It would be society wherein the strongest human in the vicinity embodies the highest good and therefore cannot be held accountable since they define what is right/wrong in any given circumstance. If Nick thinks that the general populace being in power would circumvent this, then he would have to abandon the idea that no one can agree on what is(n't) moral to begin with. God's only functional role in Nick's framework is to forgive people who otherwise ignore His law. Nick's whole outlook is a mess.
This does complement Nick's way of rationalizing his hypocrisy. Nick can be whoever he wants to be as long as he is in the correct geographical location and/or culture for a given activity (swinging for example). With no moral permanence associated with his activities, local or abroad, Nick can comfortably and "honestly" say that he is monogamous and Christian as often as he claims to be a heretical hedonistic degenerate who makes out with other women at swinger locales and still claim that everything is fine even as he hides his (and Kayla's) shame. God seems to only be around to forgive him and other degenerates for breaking rules that don't matter (but not the irredeemable "prudes"). Again, Nick's whole outlook is a mess.
In so many ways, Nick seems like someone who wasn't beat down/challenged enough by his peers as a kid. Of course, challenges to one's actions and ideals are only worthwhile if one can actually learn from them. Nick has thoroughly demonstrated a defect in his core character that precludes this as a likely outcome.
In terms of character, it was mostly stubbornness has carried Nick this far, and it will carry him the rest of the way down.