Moral Decline

[Iris]

Okay! I never really thought of it like that. That is very very interesting! If the topic is brought up with my sociology class then I will have to mention that.

 

[DaninTexas]

Moral Decline is why I signed on here and trying the place out.

I am a member of Offtopic.com. The moral decline of that place made me sick. I needed to find another set of forums.

As far as in general - yes - I believe in general the US is suffering a huge moral decline. I only have to see examples of that when I fight traffic going home.

 

[Pabst]

Yeah we are in a moral decline. Which is kind of ironic after the right wing had control of things for so many years. So much for their friggin family values bullshit.

if you look to a political party to set the bar when it comes to morals you are looking in the wrong place. they're politicians, to be moral is like giving a direct answer, they cant do it.

 

[Burntblood]

Anytime time you set your moral standards by the dogma of the world you deny yourself the ability to think or take responsibility for your own actions.
Grow a brain. Choose for youself and accept the consequenses.

Nib High Rules!!!!

 

[Pabst]

i think there is a decline but not necessarily when it comes to morals. i think morals is part of it. there is a decline of overall standards for how we conduct ourselves, letting our underwear and ass crack show in public because belts just arent cool as an example. there is a decline in the quality of life we expect for ourselves, choosing fast food grease burgers over a home cooked meal. there is a decline in patience. we live in a society of instant gratification and having to wait for anything seems like such a burden to us when its really not.

i see a decline in a lot of things, morals is just one of them.

 

[GameCrazed]

I think the question on morality and t's prevelance in America is far too complicated to be sumarised in even a single conversation.

However, I'm guessing the main idea is that the morals of the 50's or some shit has declined. I will show you this is bullshit.

1.) How many of you were even alive in the fifties?

2.) Child sexual abuse and incest has only often bee on the mainstream mind for the past few decades. It was just as prevelent in the "good old days" it's just discussed and dealt with today. This would mean that we are at a moral incline suxually.

3.) Profanity was around back then. Though it wasn't seen on tv, it was used, and there was less obsession with political correctness back then and some profane words have even become untrendy(Nigger, gook, chink, even Jap). That would also merit a moral incline.

4.) Nudity, violence and profanity on the media has certainly increased. But wouldn't those in favor of free speech consider that a plus?

5.) Drugs were not always taboo in this country. That came about in the 20's-30's. Does that mean we invented the moral decline?

5.) America has been in several major wars and a number of smaller ones including a "Civil War" in it's short time as a country. Only in recent years have we protested war. And to be honest, nowadays, it's getting a little old.

6.) Structurally, America was based on Rome. Even Roman architecture can be seen mimicked in the Capitol city. Rome was accepting of sexual exploration, and homosexuality for that matter. As well as drugs and violence for entertainment. They even accpted slavery(majorly, I might add) and women's rights.

 

[All Else Failed]

Of course we have. This is due mainly to the West believing several illusions as opposed to relaity:



Illusion:

Free will: we are autonomous beings who choose our futures


Reality:

Biology: we are a collection of nerve impulses and chemical needs that believes in free will to explain its actions as “decisions” not impulses.



Illusion:

Open-minded: we’re open to any idea and have a good idea how to pick the ones that will work out.


Reality:

Cloaking: we like things that appear new, aesthetically, but really we’ll endorse anything that weakens the demands of the world on us, and we have no idea how it will work out.


Illusion:

Victims: this world is divided between victim and oppressor, and we are usually the victims, so we must fight back against large governments, corporations and religions.


Reality:

Competition: many ideas/designs compete through their avatars, meaning that a particular DNA sequence or corporate charter and product design is going to fight it out with all others, and whatever prevails is our new working design.



Illusion:

People power: if we all just band together, unite as equals, and work together, we’ll make things happen


Reality:

Inequality: actually, that’s what we have been doing, but it doesn’t always work, mainly because not everyone has the same brains so some can see farther than others, and the others then oppose them


Illusion:

Separation: government and people are separate, and government should work for its people


Reality:

Unity: government should work for an abstract ideal that benefits its people, and will use — and sacrifice some of — its people toward that end.



Illusion:


Benevolence: we all try to be nice to others because we love others.


Reality:

Status: we try to be nice to others so we can be seen being nice to others so we can compete on the moral/popularity level of appearance. Altruism doesn’t exist.

 

[itsmeJonB]

Do you think looking at society that we are going through a moral decline? Looking at topics such as, but not limited to, music, clothing, and respect for authority.

This was a topic that was brought up in my sociology class last night.

morality is subjective, i dont believe it is declining i think it is adjusting with the current times,.

 

[Peter Parka]

It depends on your opinion on morals. Yes, people seem ruder today, more divorce ect ect. Years ago people were forced to live in loveless marriages, I know which I prefer. Years ago it was socially acceptable to be homophobic and racist. I'm glad our morals have improved there!

 

[Leananshee]

Yeah we are in a moral decline. Which is kind of ironic after the right wing had control of things for so many years. So much for their friggin family values bullshit.

I suppose every generation makes the same claim. But lets face it the roaring 20's was supposedly decadent for its time and it looks damn tame compared to today.

I am not against loosening of morals to a degree. As I would like to see pot and prostitution legalized. But on the other hand the little shits out there have no respect and have not had respect for 30 years plus. I blame that on the I, ME, MINE generation of the 60's that raised their kids and then spawned the current crop

^ What he said.

I do think that with my generation, which I've long called the "Me first, screw you" generation, there has been a decline of respect that's been the natural result of anonymizaton, the breakdown of extended families, sprawl and the growth of burbs as opposed to neighborhoods, and I believe that breakdown is a paradigm that's been heavily marketed since post WWII, but especially post Vietnam era.

I also think there's been a breakdown in our work ethic and sense of personal responsibility. For instance, I went from being a four oh student to crashing and burning, getting kicked out when incompletes turned to Fs, didn't know why. Took me a few years to figure out I was bipolar. Well, there was my explanation, and there was little I could have done about it then, but did I play the blame game that's become so popular in our society these days? Hell no, I took responsibility for my life, found out what was going on and rebuilt. Who cares if what happened was my fault, my life is still my responsibility. And there's fewer and fewer that think that way. And it pisses me off how many people try to use that condition as an excuse or crutch. Whatever conditions or life circumstances you have, you still gotta live your life. Fuck blame, we have too many victims in this society and not enough people taking charge and responsibility for their lives. Not to say we shouldn't have sympathy for some of the twisted shit we all go through, but nobody owes anyone anything in this life, and it seems like my generation and later seems to think otherwise.

tim :eek

 

[Meirionnydd]

Moral decline? The whole concept is, as others had said, purely subjective. I don't think we're going through a moral decline, society is constantly changing, and there isn't really a benchmark for an absolute 'moral' state through our history, so it's almost completely impossible to measure.

Frequently I hear older people complain about how immoral society is today, and how much better it was back in the 'good old days', something which isn't entirely true, considering 50 years ago...

- Homosexuality was criminalised, punishable with jail time.
- It was legal to rape your wife.
- Society was dominated by whites, with open discrimination of women and coloured people.
- An openly racist immigration policy.
- Indigenous people were not allowed to vote (The latter two regarding Australia).

Quite moral I think!

So it's entirely subjective, and people tend to gloss over any injustices that existed in 'their' time.

 

[Peter Parka]

The one I like and hear, all the time, living near the East End of London is that back then everyone left their doors unlocked and no one stole from them. Thats because the East End had the shit bombed out of it in the blitz and everyone was so poor that they had nothing worth nicking, anyway!

 

[Alien Allen]

^ What he said.

I do think that with my generation, which I've long called the "Me first, screw you" generation, there has been a decline of respect that's been the natural result of anonymizaton, the breakdown of extended families, sprawl and the growth of burbs as opposed to neighborhoods, and I believe that breakdown is a paradigm that's been heavily marketed since post WWII, but especially post Vietnam era.

I also think there's been a breakdown in our work ethic and sense of personal responsibility. For instance, I went from being a four oh student to crashing and burning, getting kicked out when incompletes turned to Fs, didn't know why. Took me a few years to figure out I was bipolar. Well, there was my explanation, and there was little I could have done about it then, but did I play the blame game that's become so popular in our society these days? Hell no, I took responsibility for my life, found out what was going on and rebuilt. Who cares if what happened was my fault, my life is still my responsibility. And there's fewer and fewer that think that way. And it pisses me off how many people try to use that condition as an excuse or crutch. Whatever conditions or life circumstances you have, you still gotta live your life. Fuck blame, we have too many victims in this society and not enough people taking charge and responsibility for their lives. Not to say we shouldn't have sympathy for some of the twisted shit we all go through, but nobody owes anyone anything in this life, and it seems like my generation and later seems to think otherwise.

tim :eek

Back at ya :thumbup:clap:clap:clap