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Personal Morals & Values
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Our Founding Fathers firmly held faith in the character of men. They believed human beings were inherently good-natured, capable of possessing strong moral values, and responsibly exercising our natural freedoms. For the past two hundred years we have upheld their belief and lived up to the goodness they viewed in men; fighting for what is right and opposing what is wrong. We have combated slavery, promoted the rights of women, and opposed suppression throughout the world. Yet can we continue to live up to our honorable reputation, sustain confidence in this free society, and resist all temptations that plague the minds of men: wealth, power, and control? Can we continue to uphold the firm moral values this country was founded upon? Unfortunately eighty-seven percent of Americans have lost faith in the moral values of this nation and our ability to uphold our integrity, honor, respect, and truth in all aspects (Elshtain 2008, 80). It seems there is a solid consensus among the American people. There has been a breakdown in the moral fabric of society. Evidence of this decline in morality can be seen in our growing infatuation with material wealth, the rise of American cheating culture, the disintegration of family, and the explosion of random acts of violence and indecency. As a result many have begun to fear the future of a democratic, self-governing society.
Evidence of America's materialistic moral decline surrounds us everyday. Just take a look around. Constantly we are being bombarded with advertisements and messages to buy the latest automobile, pair of jeans, or Ipod because we are told they will satisfy our needs, ease our discomforts, bring happiness to our lives, and achieve success. Many of us could continue to live contently without these goods, yet we give in to these messages and our greed, and decide to purchase billions of dollars worth of toys; money that could be donated to non-profit organizations or public projects to improve the state of society. It seems we are becoming less concerned with the overall state of society and are becoming more self-absorbed on decorating and entertaining ourselves: one notes first the poverty or narrowness of man's outlook, motivated as he is by a desire to possess things (Paul II 2008, 156). Some argue that we surround ourselves with objects to create an identity. They are tools that enable us to express ourselves and ideas to the rest of society, an individual freedom we are enforcing. Yet we have abused this freedom. Materialism has consumed our lives to such an extent that it has affected our outlook upon our lives and others'. We tend to treat other people, and at times even view ourselves, primarily as consuming objects who purchase an identity in the marketplace. (Elshtain 2008, 91). Material wealth has become so engrained in our minds and beliefs that we have begun to judge others based upon the amount of wealth and goods they possess, rather than who they are as human beings. We choose to befriend those with expensive clothing despite the fact that they may be extremely egotistical or commanding. Honor and integrity are no longer important human qualities as objects have taken their place. Further, as we begin to focus more on obtaining goods, we lose sight of much more meaningful aspects of our lives that provide true satisfaction: family, friends, and personal pastimes. our roles as workers and consumers have gotten thicker and more dominant, while our roles as family members and neighbors have grown thinner (Elshtain 2008, 90). Material wealth has distracted us from these primary components of family and friends that help us to develop strong moral values. It seems materialism has become so predominant in our culture that we have incorporated consumer ideals of image, wealth, and greed into our own belief systems. This has destroyed the firm moral values this country was built upon.
Secondly, our integrity has decayed with the rise of a cheating culture in society has greatly led to the moral decline we are facing today. Everyday, people cheat in all walks of life in order to get ahead of others. Students cheat on exams and plagiarize on essays in hopes of improving their grade, achieving outstanding academic recognition, enhancing self-esteem, or meeting parents' expectations. Athletes use performance-enhancin g drugs so that they may play better, break records, gain fame, and ultimately financial rewards. In the world of business, corrupt executives of Enron, Worldcom, and Tyco lie, cheat, and deceive in order to increase their profits. It seems we have sacrificed our morals in order to advance ourselves, and the fact that there has been a growing number of cheating incidences suggests Americans are no longer troubled by the guilt or shame cheating evokes in us. We are losing our moral conscious that enables us to distinguish between right and wrong, good and bad, while maintaining the integrity and honor of our actions (Elshtain 2008, 81). However, those who perform the wrongful act argue that they do possess strong moral values and are aware cheating is wrong. They are instead forced to do so because of the circumstances and pressures of a highly competitive society. It is seen as the only option. Although we do live in a dog-eat-dog world, cheating is still uncalled for despite the situation or motive because it gives them an unfair advantage and limits the opportunities for others to succeed. Cheating deceives others into believing one is capable of using their own abilities and skills to accomplish goals. The fact that we are turning to crimes of deception as a solution to all our problems, and allowing it to occur under our noses, indicates that there has been a widespread corruption of values here in America. We have surrendered our morals and are no longer the trustworthy individuals we used to be.
Additionally there has been a decline in the family institution. Evidence can be seen in the manner in which children repay their parents for all the support, love, care, and comfort they provided. According to Jane English, grown children owe their parents nothing (English 115, 2008). What children ought to do for their parents depends upon their respective needs, abilities, and resources and the extent to which there is an ongoing friendship between them (English 118, 2008). Here in America, many have strong relationships with their parents and are financially capable of supporting them. Yet instead of maintaining the intimate friendship, we choose to house our parents in inhumane, thousand dollar senior facilities so that we may focus on our own lives and careers without having to tend to their needs everyday. Not only do we lock up our parents in apartments that provide the bare minimum for survival, but we rarely visit except for the occasional Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, even those who live independently. It seems we no longer appreciate, nor respect our parents and show them the love they deserve because we are too busy consumed in our own lives and matters. True parents should not expect to be taken care of by their children and vice versa. However, if either parent or child is ever in need of help, the other should come to their aid as being part of a family and not due to owing one another. Further, divorce rates among couples have increased as marriage becomes an optional and fragile establishment based upon love and affection: Married people who wish to part are no longer held together by legal compulsion or economic necessity (Coontz 2008, 109). Parents are the children's main role models who provide the essential qualities necessary for governing the self: honesty, trust, loyalty, cooperation, self-restraint, civility, compassion, personal responsibility, and respect for others (Elshtain 83, 2008). Marriage strengthens the relationship between the parents. Yet if this relationship is no longer stable and secure due to divorce, the child will no longer see the value in family and acquire the necessary morals such a family promotes, resulting in the moral decline we are facing today.
Furthermore, acts of violence and crime are becoming more prevalent here in America. Years ago, people could walk the streets and live life with little fear for their safety because at that time people were kind, caring, and loving and would rarely dare nor wish to injure their fellow mankind. Yet today, people are more cautious and at times must hide inside their homes behind locked doors, fearing for their lives, as man has become evermore inhumane to fellow man. Take for example the tragic school shootings of Columbine and Virginia Tech University where students and faculty members were murdered by a distraught student, or the explosion of pedophiles on the loose looking to kidnap and sexually abuse children. Or perhaps take note of the increasing number of abusive domestic relationships taking place, or the rise of gangs and gang violence. We are becoming a violent society. Being exposed to daily atrocities, one loses empathy and respect for fellow man: We seem to be living in the age of 'anesthesia' and it's no wonder. Confronted with the knowledge of dozens of apparently random disasters each day, what can a human heart do but slam its doors? (Kingsolver 208, 2008). As we lose confidence in the integrity and honor of others we subsequently treat them inhumanely, a vicious cycle that has led to the rise of violence and an uncivilized, immoral society (Kingsolver 208, 2008).
In conclusion, it is clear America is losing its moral values as exemplified through our growing preoccupation with materialism, the rise of a cheating culture, the disintegration of the institution of family, and the rise of violent crimes. People shallowly judge themselves and others by the number of goods they possess instead of their inner human qualities. People cheat in academics, athletics, and business in order to gain unfair advantages. Family, the root of moral development, no longer plays an important role in our lives. Finally the rise of violence proves that we are behaving more inhumanely towards one another. It seems we no longer treat others or see the honor, respect, and dignity in others. We have committed terrible acts. Yet, the main problem is that we have allowed these immoral crimes to be committed. Rather than stand up for what is righteous and virtuous, we have averted our eyes and consented to the decay of morality. As we allow our moral fabric to deteriorate, chaos will result as people begin to fear the state of the nation, resulting in the breakdown of the foundations of our democratic society. It is imperative that we stop the moral decline immediately so that we may save the fate of our nation and its people.
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Are we truly a moral society, have we ever been so and are we more or less than in years past? This is the question that has plagued every generation and one that is nearly always answered that we are less so today than in previous decades. What changes so dramatically between generations that would cause this marked decline in the perception of our morals? Is there some specific function or behavior that can be pointed at within each generation that could be said to be the indicator for the downward slide to perdition? These are the questions that we must ask about the generation of our children and that our parents have asked about us. What though is the barometer for a moral society, the basis by which we judge?
Let is take a short walk through the history of this nation to determine for ourselves the morality of each generation and draw our own conclusions. It is only by seeking our answers in history that we are truly able to answer the question at hand, are we morally in decline. First, it is important to define the span of time between generations, for the purpose of this article twenty-five years is the span used. Where historical periods span greater periods than a single generation it will be noted.
The discovery and founding of the continent of America spanned nearly 200 years, beginning in 1607 with the founding of Jamestown, Virginia on May 12, 1607. Now of course it is well known that Virginia was inhabited by indigenous people, in fact several different tribes called the Virginia territories home. The settlers were kept alive by trading with the Native peoples for food in their first hard years. Overall, from 1607 to 1619 it might be said that the colonies were so focused on survival they had no choice but to behave in a moral fashion. In 1619, this would change though with the introduction of the first slaves sold in the Americas. From a moral perspective, the argument could be made that this represented a sharp departure and decline in the moral fabric of the nation that lasted for approximately 246 years.
Of course, one shouldn't forget those wonderful Puritans and the Salem Witch trials of 1692 and 1693. This was a very moral period of our national history indeed by all accounts. Yet and one that we should all use as a cautionary tale of a religious extremism, political rhetoric, and judicial overstepping. The results of this morally "right" period of our history was the arrest and imprisonment of 150 innocent people and ultimately the death of twenty, nineteen by hanging and one by crushing.
As the nation grew and expanded, fighting a war of independence and defining a secular and democratic government other people immigrated attracted by the freedoms promised by the Constitution and the availability of land. The promise of religious freedom, the right to worship without interference by the government was particularly attractive to those who had been persecuted in their European homes where religion and state were so closely mingled. Obviously, a new start, the abundance of available land was an attraction hard to ignore.
The expansion of the nation focused primarily on what are now known as the Southern States. Commonly referred to as the Age of Manifest Destiny, the period from 1812 to 1860 was the most prolific in expansion; however, the period just prior to the Civil War saw some of the most heinous acts against the tribes by the military expansionists. While George Washington and Henry Knox proposed cultural transformation of the indigenous people of America, Andrew Jackson was the first President to propose and pass legislation to remove them from their ancestral lands, by force if necessary. Beginning in 1831 and through 1837, the native peoples were forcibly removed from their homes and lands with little but the clothes on their backs. They were herded into camps to await their removal to the new Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma; these camps were unsanitary and breeding grounds for disease. Ultimately, approximately 46,000 Natives from many different tribes were removed from their lands, held in horrific conditions then forced to march over 1,000 miles under brutal conditions to land that could not sustain them. This march was called the Trail of Tears and it is believed that up to 10,000 people, primarily Cherokee and Choctaw died along the trail from exposure, starvation, and disease. Another sharp departure from the moral high ground, the abuse of the native peoples of the Americas for no reason other than avarice that is the desire for their lands.
Let's leap ahead to history that is more recent, evaluate the moral standards of the nation, and discern the variations where we might be slipping. This moral slippage seems to be the hue and cry heard throughout the land, one that each successive generation takes up with fervor so there must be some small kernel of truth to it, mustn't there. Thus far from a historical standpoint we have witnessed the introduction of slavery, the Witch Trials resulting in the death of several innocent men and women, and forcible removal of the indigenous people from their lands which also resulted in several thousand deaths; all of these things have a distinctly immoral taint.
From 1919 to 1933, we had Prohibition, which along with prohibiting the manufacture and transportation of liquor saw the rise of some of the most vicious criminal enterprises in US history. The FBI refers to the years between 1921 and 1933 as The Lawless Years because of the rise of violent and organized crime, the complete disregard to the Prohibition laws by both the common man and the criminal and the limited scope of federal jurisdiction. Moral? It seems that this was a period where even those usually law-abiding citizens were walking on the wild side of the law.
Skipping ahead not to far to 1942 we find Executive Order 9066 which brought about the forcible removal and interment of approximately 110,000 American citizens of Japanese descent. The attacks on Japanese Americans had begun long before WWII, but increased after the attack on Pearl Harbor led by Earl Warren, the Attorney General of California and Lt. General John L. DeWitt, head of the Western Command and who would later administer the internment program. Was this a moral program based on moral standards? One need only examine some of the edicts issued during this time including the designation that they included all persons who were "as little as 1/16 Japanese" could be placed in internment camps.
With a speech on 9 February 1950, Joseph McCarthy forever stamped his name on an era of political skullduggery that would eventually bear his name although begun several years before his official involvement. The period known as the Second Red Scare, immediately following the end of WWII was spearheaded by the House Committee on Un-American Activities, with support from the FBI and unpaid informants. Known for the malicious attacks based on all too often unsubstantiated evidence, the primary targets of the Committee were educators, union activists, government employees, and those in the entertainment industry. To even be called before the Committee usually meant job loss and frequently your name on a blacklist and the ruination of careers. Moral? It seems the law was taking the moral low ground during this era, petty and without thought destroying people's lives.
Skipping ahead again to the 1960's we find ourselves in another pendulum swing decade. Vietnam is an unpopular war, music is changing, and with it so is how we listen to it, Rosa Parks had sat down on the bus, Martin Luther King had a dream that resonated, and three greats are assassinated John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X. New drugs, called recreational, mind altering have become part of our world, and things that were once hidden are now openly discussed, such as sexuality and women. New morality? New immorality? Certainly, the world is changing before our eyes at a rapid pace; the complexities of the questions of morality are getting more difficult. A generation is turning on and tuning out.
As the time machine whirls by we look in on the decade of greed, the 1980's. Politically 1981 ushered in 12 years of Republicans in the White House beginning with Ronald Regan. This is the decade that saw deregulation of the stock market, big business, imports, and savings and loan, which ushered in many of the economic failures of today but saw the first S&L scandal that ultimately cost US taxpayers $1.4 trillion in bailout. This was the decade that brought us the movie Wall Street and the infamous quote, "Greed is good". Moral?
Now we have entered the twenty-first century and we question whether society is less moral than at any other time in our history. There are those who rail against the removal of "God" from schools claiming this is a certain sign of the loss of our moral center. Others who claim we are moving away from the Christian Nation our Founding Fathers intended us to be, yet nowhere in our founding documents is Christianity or the Christian God mentioned as a framework for governing our moral behavior as a society. Humans are frail and susceptible to all sorts of temptations but ultimately humans are mostly good. Ultimately, humans make mostly good choices and in a complex world full of increasingly complex choices where it is far easier to be selfish humans continue to do more good things than bad. Are personal morals decaying, I would say no they are not however, the basis of our evaluation is changing and so it should.
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