Morality
The simple definition of this word is the way that we humans view right and wrong.
The longer definition takes on far greater significance and requires a solid explanation. See, morality differs from similar words like ethics. It has no connection to what makes up good or evil. And morality can even be different from what is truly right or wrong. It helps defining this word by beginning with this last statement first.
Isaac Asimov once wrote: "never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right". This can be viewed as odd because it is taught in many places that morality is all about doing what's right. We are taught good morals from our families and teachers and religious members so that when the situation comes up where we need to make a tough decision, we will know that the actions we take are the right ones.
Well, take an example from the movie "gone baby gone" to ask yourself what you would do in this situation. A little girl is kidnapped. After a deep investigation it is found that she has been taken by a good man with a lovely wife and he can provide an incredible life full of love and all the opportunities that one could want in life for this child. But this man kidnapped this girl and she deserves to be returned to her mother. However, the mother is a terrible person. Neglectful to this little girl. Puts her to bed hungry so that she can use the food money to go and get high. She's left the girl in the car with the windows up on a hot day. It appears quite obvious that this little girl will end up either in drugs or alcohol, in jail or prostitution, or dead.
So as the detective, what do you do? Ignore the crime of kidnapping and leave this girl with the good people knowing that she will have a good and happy life? Or do the lawful thing and return this girl to her neglectful addict mother?
Well the answer is simple, and any law abiding citizen knows what it is. Mr. Asimov knows the answer to be to turn in the kidnappers and return the girl to her mother. This is the "right" thing to do.
And morals have nothing to do with that decision. Where morality plays its part is after this right decision has been made. If a person has been raised to do right by people and promote the well being of the innocent and generally try and help make the world a better place then this person is now morally obligated to act. You, the moral person, is now completely aware that there is a little girl in grave danger. Danger to her health both mentally and physically.
So the moral thing to do is make sure that this girl grows up right. Become a role model in her life. Help keep this kid in school and off drugs, out of trouble and jail. Do your best to give this kid a proper life. This is what you must do if you are a moral person. Because you put her back in the hands of a bad person.
This is morality. It is the individuals obligations to do what they themselves know to be right. To be not only the right thing to do, but as a moral person, the only thing to do. This is where the term moral fiber came to being. This is because morality is not about individual acts. It is about you the individual knowing how to live your life the way you feel it should be led. And therefore morality differs from person to person.
The simple right and wrong is then actually not a choice we really have at all. It has already been decided by the society we live in what is right and wrong. The constructs have been built and most of us live within them just fine. So when that moment comes when you are faced with a tough decision, know that it isn't about deciding what is right and wrong. Because you already know that answer. What you are forced to decide is whether you will act in accordance with what is expected of you or will you re-write the rules, step outside the lines, re-build the construct that you had previously been living in?
It is not something to worry too awful much about though. Because understanding your morals will always tell you what you are going to do.
Hopefully this explains morality better for everyone. Summing up, morality is all about what you feel is the way you are supposed to be living your life. Not for you mom and dad, not for your peers, not for god or your religion, but for you. Are you doing what you feel you should be doing?