Is the Moral Fibre of Modern Society in Decay?
July 18th 2007 03:51
Given the moral fibre of a society is embodied or personified in its citizens—for societies don’t commit evil or immoral acts people do—the question should be: are citizens of modern society, their habits and customs, in a state of moral decay?
Ok, so what does it mean to be a good citizen? The ancient philosopher Aristotle (384-322BC), arguably one of the greatest Western thinkers, pondered this very same question. He concluded that it’s all about good habit, like virtue and the pursuit of excellence, for example. A good citizen is made, not born. Moreover, it is the responsibility of legislators to ensure citizens are trained in the art of being good. Moral decay equates to a defective Constitution. Granted, modern society is a far more complex place than in Aristotle’s day, yet the basic premise is still relevant: if the morality within a society is declining, then legislation, like a healing salve, can be applied to fix it.
Yet, surely we are living in an over-regulated society already, a mind-boggling maze of criminal and civil law. While this may be true, the unfortunate facts are the streets are getting more violent with each passing day and our gaols are at capacity level. Modern society needs regulating more than ever. Our political system of acts and decrees, the justice system, police, and prisons, all barely able to contain and at times are implicated in, the seething undercurrent of corruption, extortion, and drugs flowing beneath our society. Where then, did it all go wrong? More importantly, can it be fixed?
It would be easy to blame government; citizens know there have been and will continue to be blunders made. Legislators are human, and until humankind invents a God-like machine capable of making morally right decisions in every case, that’s what we are stuck with. So, if it is not a matter of more legislation, what is the problem? Why is heinous and violent crime on the increase, and drugs turning people into crazed maniacs? The dark side of a global Internet where predators prey on the young and unsuspecting, the proliferation of porn sites and on-line gambling, the email scams; identity fraud, and youth suicide. Gang-related violence…
Ok, let’s not get too carried away, there is some virtue and excellence in modern society, pockets of benevolence, and altruism. However, the engine that drives society is capitalism, and if it doesn’t make money, its future is tenuous. If as Aristotle says, a good citizen is made not born, then perhaps we should be teaching our children that before the embarking on the quest for the almighty dollar, comes the lesson of respect for fellow man and the environment. The future holds the key.
Ok, so what does it mean to be a good citizen? The ancient philosopher Aristotle (384-322BC), arguably one of the greatest Western thinkers, pondered this very same question. He concluded that it’s all about good habit, like virtue and the pursuit of excellence, for example. A good citizen is made, not born. Moreover, it is the responsibility of legislators to ensure citizens are trained in the art of being good. Moral decay equates to a defective Constitution. Granted, modern society is a far more complex place than in Aristotle’s day, yet the basic premise is still relevant: if the morality within a society is declining, then legislation, like a healing salve, can be applied to fix it.
It would be easy to blame government; citizens know there have been and will continue to be blunders made. Legislators are human, and until humankind invents a God-like machine capable of making morally right decisions in every case, that’s what we are stuck with. So, if it is not a matter of more legislation, what is the problem? Why is heinous and violent crime on the increase, and drugs turning people into crazed maniacs? The dark side of a global Internet where predators prey on the young and unsuspecting, the proliferation of porn sites and on-line gambling, the email scams; identity fraud, and youth suicide. Gang-related violence…
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