Question

“Suppose, for instance, that my mother calls me up and asks that I spend the afternoon helping my aged father with some household chores. I do as she asks, but only grudgingly, and make it clear with my body language and my brusqueness that I resent being there. I’ve done the right thing, but in the wrong manner. I am not acting virtuously and am not displaying an appropriate level of care”.

Is the author right? Do we have control over whom and what we care about, or how deeply we care about these things and people? If not, can care be a central component of right action?

Answer 1

As the saying well defines it,'Actions speak louder than words.' Here, though the author is taking care of his or her father but actually doesn't feels so deeply or is just obligating to the mother's request is clear from the actions and body language. Our gestures and body language play a great role in identification of what we feel and what we actually do. An expression can literally portrait another feeling to what you are actually feeling deep inside. While these are also attributed towards the receiver and sender both as how they interpret our message or feedback in a given situation.

Here, the author is doing a good thing which is taking care of his or he father but should actually feel it while doing with an emotion of bonding and love rather keeping it as a duty or simply a task instructed by mother.