The Eternal Imperative

Kant’s Categorical Imperative had a bit of the right idea, but along the wrong dimension.

Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law.

It is too universal.  It abstracts away from the embodiment of being in a particular time and place.  It is all blandness and universal solvent.  It acts as if time need not exist.

A better rule is to act as if you were part of a story that involves your ancestors and your posterity.  This is a rule that allows for and even requires you to be distinct, but still ties everything together.

In other words, act as if you were working towards an ultimate goal that you could will everyone would be working towards.

In other words, morality is the rules for being that allow you the fullest personal development consistent with eventually coming into a relationship with everyone, past, present, and future.