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The Mitford Affair


An explosive novel of history's most notorious sisters, one of whom will have to...
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Nancy asks herself, "Does [a single motivation] matter as long as we think we are acting on the side of right and truth? Or must we be on the actual side of right?" How would you answer those questions?

Created: 01/12/23

Replies: 11

Posted Jan. 12, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
davinamw

Join Date: 10/15/10

Posts: 3442

Nancy asks herself, "Does [a single motivation] matter as long as we think we are acting on the side of right and truth? Or must we be on the actual side of right?" How would you answer those questions?

Nancy asks herself, "Does [a single motivation] matter as long as we think we are acting on the side of right and truth? Or must we be on the actual side of right?" How would you answer those questions?


Posted Jan. 12, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
forann

Join Date: 03/11/14

Posts: 18

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

Nancy acted on her beliefs of right and truth, even at the cost of her beloved sisters. In the end, she questions whether she did right. Was it worth it? Can she live with herself and the decisions she made? These are questions, I wish we knew. What happened to Nancy in the future? Did she sacrifice her family for what she believed was truth and justice and did it really matter to the outcome in the end? I believe Nancy did believe in her actions, but I must question them.


Posted Jan. 13, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Marcia S

Join Date: 02/08/16

Posts: 505

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

What we think is right, might not actually be "right." However, Nancy acted to preserve her county's freedom. She made that choice over her loyalty to her sisters and parents. That's quite a sacrifice. I believe she did the right thing.


Posted Jan. 13, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
kimk

Join Date: 10/16/10

Posts: 889

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

This is a really interesting question to me. On the one hand, I think intent is important. We all act with limited knowledge, and can only proceed based on the information we have. But even those with good intentions can be perceived as really, really wrong in hindsight. I also feel that what's considered "right" changes with time.


Posted Jan. 13, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
paulak

Join Date: 04/21/11

Posts: 264

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

Sometimes I think knowing the "actual right" is a difficult thing. In fact, I think most folks believe they are operating from the "actual right" such as the case with Unity and Diana. We often need the benefit of hindsight to know the actual right and even then, some folks will probably deny it. The best we can hope for is a strong moral compass to help guide us to actual right.


Posted Jan. 14, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
cathyoc

Join Date: 04/26/17

Posts: 247

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

In the end Nancy did the right thing, she put her loyalty to her country before her loyalty to family. I believe that decision is one she can live with.


Posted Jan. 14, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
carriem

Join Date: 10/19/20

Posts: 237

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

I think most of us do what we think is right but sometimes in reflection question on decisions especially if effects other people. But in the case of Unity and Diana they felt confident they made the right choice while with Nancy she did have second thoughts though she realized she she had made the right choices.


Posted Jan. 14, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
Elizabetta

Join Date: 04/24/21

Posts: 48

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

This is an interesting question. I have to look at the salient word, which to me is motivation. Does a single motivation matter? Absolutely. Does it matter if it’s right or wrong? That’s the rub. I can be motivated to do the right thing for the wrong reasons. Does that make my actions wrong? At times we’re all like Nancy, grappling with difficult decisions that can effect the lives of those we love.
She took a frustratingly long time to make her decision, but ultimately did the right thing.


Posted Jan. 16, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
juliep

Join Date: 04/07/12

Posts: 250

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

I think we need to be on the actual side of truth. Look at Hitler and his followers - they thought what he was doing was right. Look at some of today’s politicians - they follow the leader, without necessarily questioning what that leader stands for. In Nancy’s case, her sisters’ motivations drove them, but that didn’t make them right.


Posted Jan. 29, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
linz

Join Date: 08/12/15

Posts: 167

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

I agree wih Elizabetta. It is an interesting question. And I wonder does the ends justify teh means. I think we all asked ourselves that question on Jan.6, 2020. And those with family members involved had to ask that hard question after that day. Family loyaty is important to all of us. To turn in family, as Nancy did , is very hard. But does the right thing win out? Do we stand up for what the right choice is? Nancy made that decision, but still questioned herself. Her patriotism won out. Some of life's choices are very hard to make.


Posted Feb. 01, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
tsquared

Join Date: 10/20/21

Posts: 25

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

Great question, perhaps the overarching theme of the book! And great responses by both Elizabeth & Linz! How does one determine what is "right" & truth, particularly in this age of denigrating something by calling it "fake news"? To answer the question directly, I believe you must be on the actual side of right based on strong ethics & questioning "why" & "how" someone comes to their positions. People often declare that they are right without doing much reflection. Nancy knew that the actions of both of her sisters were not made for the right reasons & that her inaction out of family loyalty (something of which Diana & Unity had very little) had the potential for harm to so many.


Posted Feb. 09, 2023 Go to Top | Go to bottom | link | alert
scgirl

Join Date: 06/05/18

Posts: 245

RE: Nancy asks herself, "Does [...

Often right and wrong are different for different people and cultures. I am sure that many of the German people who bought into fascism felt that they were doing the right thing, that Germany was treated badly at the Treaty of Versailles, and that Germany had every right to reclaim territory it had lost. Even thinking about American history I am sure that some people in the South believed that slavery was a "right" thing. Don't we just sometimes find out the truth way after the fact?


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