I think about morality. And it's not necessarily because I'm being immoral, but because I believe that whether I choose to do "right" or choose to to "wrong" really matters. Definitely matters in this life—probably matters in an eternal way, too. So I'm curious about what shapes moral sensibilities.

Jonathan Haidt, a professor at the University of Virginia, is doing some really powerful work on morality. He's got a site where you can test your own moral compass. His talk at the TED Conference lays out the premises of his newest work. According to Haidt, morality is a complex of several different values, all of which at work simultaneously. These values have to do with whom we respect, how we deal with purity, and how we see loyalty and fairness. No surprise there, right? The lasting importance of Haidt's theory comes at the end of his talk: he asserts that none of us has "the right" morality. Effective moral reasoning emerges from the interplay of different moral perspectives.

Basically, people with different moral orientations—say, liberals and conservatives—see the world through different moral frames; both frames have essential strengths, and a healthy society needs both frames to be morally balanced.

I love Haidt's work because it seems to validate my own suspicion: I'd rather be a liberal in community in which I have real relationships with conservatives than a liberal in community where there are only other liberals. I'd rather be in a church with liberals and conservatives than a church with too many liberals. When one moral frame grows too strong, it leads to moral blindness, and moral failure.

A balance of moral perspectives, within any institution, is essential. If balance is lacking, blindness, if not death, is inevitable. Check out the video (it's about 20 minutes) and see if you agree.

If you do, ask yourself: do I participate in communities where I hear true moral diversity? Is New York morally diverse? Is our church? Is your group of friends? What can you do to grow your moral self through exposure to diverse perspectives?