why do we need to be moral?

Question

its for my homework... tnx....

Answer 1

If we weren't moral we would be sociopaths and then there would be chaos and chaos would lead to extinction.

The problem is getting everyone to agree to the same set of morals. There are grey areas, cultural differences, and religious biases. By and large most people have morals, a set of standards, an accepted idea of right from wrong. Society breaks down when people step too far outside of those standards.

Answer 2

Great question: Here's a dangerous answer. Be careful - this is hard to hear for some, because it's the truth. Hard Cold Truth.

It's socialization: environment if you will. Right and wrong come from trial and error - the consequences of being wrong - immoral are based on the feedback from parents, peers and negative or positive impact from the local social environment. After years and years of trial and error we recognize and choose to obey what our specific cultural society has chosen as acceptable and that becomes our morals. Morals are relative to ones upbringing and culture.

Did you know that only 14 different cultures women's breasts are considered to be a sexually important area of moral desire. Most cultures do not care one way or another if a woman is topless. All due to upbringing and environmental patterning from childhood and social norms - not unlike pavlov's dog.

Anyone tells you it's God - they learned that as part of their moral upbringing. Better ask them which God - depends on the input they had during their early life and the behaviors that were acceptable by that society.

That's why there are so many budhists in China, Christians in the southern U.S., Moslems in Iraq and Jewish believers in Israel, etc. etc.

Since this is your homework - be careful if you are doing this as a response to a nuns question in a Catholic school. - in that case do what's morally acceptable and tell her it was God - better yet - Jesus. You'll get a grade that's more socially acceptable , especially by your parents. See what I mean.

Morals are complicated and sometimes dangerous.
Too many wars have been fought over moral differences.

Answer 3

When the majority of people are moral, assuming you mean the usually accepted Western code of morality, society runs more smoothly.

When reliable men and women lay the foundations for a government or society, it works well. It also lays the framework for embezzlement and such, but such crimes would not be possible if there weren't reliable types to fix the problems and keep everything on track.

Answer 4

Are you tying morality with ethics? Ethics are more the secular version of morality and govern human interaction in a number of situations and assist in resolving conflicts. Living by a code of ethics that is shared is important because it gives society a reason to stick together ... it is the glue that sticks society together. When there is an obvious immorality, such as someone killing another person, society centres around that individual as a morality code breaker and by doing so, continues to produce the glue that fits society together.

Answer 5

It appears that instinctively the body tells people when it feels good about something and when it feels bad about something. Some people are squeamish some are not. We refer to it as the conscience.

There is also the side of things in which we learn or are told that certain things are wrong. But it still all boils down to what you feel.

You don't have to be what's called moral. The thing is that by experience we learn that some things are in fact not good for us, such as catching a disease or how you feel after you lie or been lied to.

Answer 6

There is no such thing as "morality". There is no inherent right or wrong that exists in our actions. An action is an action. We decide what is right or wrong through our values, beliefs, and laws. Morality is our creation. We then act morally so as to create a world that is as beneficial as possible to the most people possible.

Answer 7

Who the heck knows. Probably because "they" founded this country on a religious basis and religious-ness means to be moral. Probably because Morals mean to be nice & do nice. "do unto others as you want them to do unto you"..... morals can mean many things. Wouldn't you rather people treat you nicely? If so, you must treat them nicely to get such nice treatment in return. Thats a form of being moral. Then there are those who are immoral and it doesn't hurt you at all, it only hurts them....... or does it hurt them? (drinkin, smokin, foolin' around...etc) Maybe it doesn't hurt them at all and they enjoy being immoral just for themselves. Complicated question, sweetie.. many viewpoints to look at... I hope you get an A+ on your homework.

Answer 8

No particular one of us has to be. That is why society has not crumbled, despite the existance of illegal gambling, shoplifting, lying, etc.

However, the large majority of people must be moral, or you have a Somalia on your hands.

Corruption is what keeps down the nations of Russia, China, Mexico, India, and many other countries.

Answer 9

To understand the differences between right and wrong. In order to have laws you have to be moral. Laws stand for whats right and wrong. Without morals we wouldn't have "laws". Of course without morals we wouldn't have anything to argue because without right and wrong what would would we argue about???

Who said morals had to be "Godly". Morals are just a right and wrong concept of life. We choice to make it morally in God's eyes or by law. But either way without morals there wouldn't be anything to debate and life would be boring!

Answer 10

we don't HAVE to be moral at all, but some of us want to be because we want to please God. others, for example cadets at West Point, do it because being moral is better than than getting in trouble. some people do it because they do not know how to be immoral.