ARE STANDARDS OF MORALITY IN SOCIETY FALLING ?

Starting point in such a discussion could be : certain human actions are inherently right or wrong in all situations. Also what is considered good in one social system may be considered bad elsewhere.Or it may be still tolerable. Moral basis is, it relies on empathy and reciprocity towards each other.

Having stated so, basic morality may refer to personal or cultural beliefs about right and wrong actions. These are shaped by upbringing as a child and following salient social customs in a gradual fashion, both in the course of primary and secondary socialisations.

Morality is rooted in human reasoning, logic, rationality and ethical frameworks. However, in order to have moral instincts, sense of sympathy, fairness and co- operation may be necessary.

According to inputs culled out from Internet , types of morality recognised in all cultures, all over the world are :
Love your family, help your group, return favour, be brave, respect authority, be fair, respect other’s property and refrain from theft and trespassing.

If one follows all of or most of these, such behaviour may be considered morally good. But we know for sure, the actual HARD reality in all the countries.

Moral Education in Family & Schools

To begin from beginning, in good old days, virtues of moral education were nicely and carefully taught, almost in every Gurukul or school. In my St.Xavier’s College too it would be in the form of Ethics. In respect of former, one had to score marks, while latter would be bereft of a ‘credit’.

Crucial Role of Elders

With rapid rise in computer or net or smart phone based education system, sadly the important aspect of morality is mostly missing.That shifts the responsibility to the family.

If there are elders and if they command respect, nuances of morality can be expected to be shared. But in rapidly changing family scenario, one may ask how many such families exist and whether elders get the respect due from their son and daughter-in-law and whether they are trust worthy also.

Children or new generation lots may be willing to learn and follow BUT is that allowed or tolerated ?

Schools especially Missionary schools have played and may continue to play a crucial role in imparting moral values to the students right from a formative stage. But efforts made by schools and elders in any family, in a way, become useless when growing children interact with their teen aged peer group, all of whom may be in possession of smart phones. Thanks to their jet set parents, they also go haywire sooner than expected.

It may be stated that life was better when we did not have access to many so called “necessary amenities”. In some families number of Cell phones may exceed five or six but in an emergency no one would respond OR can be accessed.

Advent of New Kind of Morality : Some Instances

Golden rule of morality and Ethics is their base on principles of reciprocity and empathy. One may say : treat others as you would want them to treat you.

However, if one looks at obnoxious behaviour of a head of State or large scale Chanda Chori (misuse of donations) in one of the biggest temples, or leakage of NEET Question papers or rampant corruption in many social welfare schemes, Expressways, infrastructure projects or blending of Ethanol in Petrol or large scale lynching of men & women in name of religion & social values or submission and non submission of forged certificates & affidavits by top brass AND alleged women killers from Pune, Delhi, Shillong, Bhopal, Gujarat, Telengana etc, there is a definite shift in societal and cultural values.

Same is away from strict, traditional or religious norms or rules toward more flexible, subjective and individualistic frame works. These individuals or many other errant youth from both sexes behave primarily with reference to a context or a situation or one can say demand of times. Head of State or officials or young women or counting persons in question are not bothered about extent of repercussions.

FIFA FIASCO

An unexpected decision in a situation, such as, in the midst of World Football Cup certainly affects emotions, expenditure involved in training, national prestige, apart from match referee unnecessarily succumbing to idiosyncracies of a head of State. In the same way, a man or woman concerned, party to a crime, refrains from thinking about tremendous harm caused to their family as also the person who has been ELIMINATED in a fit of anger. Such so called technically educated beings are out and out immoral, rather they should be called anti- social in a new form and shape. They are fit for ostracisation.

Pertinent Issues

One does not wish to be called biased but number of criminal acts involving group of trusted priests and workers in many temples and ambitious women as kingpin, is certainly registering a rise. It may be more than the band wagon of professional movers and fixers thronging Government offices, Police stations or for that matter, the temples of Justice. These developments not only send shock waves but bely all conceivable expectations. Both unwanted higher education and adoption of latest means of technology by the ‘new free birds’ in question could be attributable.

Cheating, A National Obsession ?

Sorry to say, CHEATING has not only become a national habit but an obsession or a profound profession. It needs to be urgently explored, rather researched seriously on a case to case basis. No one should be condoned and spared.

When it comes to care given and expectation from off springs, which parent may not wish a good and meaningful future for their adult children ? But how do we ensure it when there is a communication gap situation even within the four walls of a home ?

Situation can be still salvaged in Indian family situation as it is supposedly characterised by care, fairness, loyalty, compassion, tolerance, forgiveness, humility and overall perseverance.

TO SUM UP

ALL SAID AND DONE, AN ADULT, LEAVING ASIDE PERSONAL & SOCIETAL PRINCIPLES, SHOULD BE IN A POSITION TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN RIGHT & WRONG.

IN A REVERSE SITUATION ONLY HE HAS TO BE BLAMED.

(The author is former Chief Secretary, Sikkim. Views are strictly personal)