When were moral values ever NOT declining fast?

Question

People on this site, and everywhere else, continually bemoan the decline of moral values in the modern world.

So my question is, when (and where) DID society in general have high moral standards?

I want to at least know which century this was supposed to be!

Oh yes, and what was the secret of maintaining such high moral values?

Answer 1

I agree, human nature hasn't changed much throughout history, although the ways and means in which we interact (and hurt or help) each other has.

Moral values (i.e. our concepts of right and wrong) change based on culture and society, but our tendencies toward following them (or not) haven't changed. We are what we are, no matter how we hound each other to be otherwise.

Answer 2

Such a time probably does not exist. Just during some times and places it was considered "not the done thing" to flaunt your lack of morals (the victorian era and earlier, in the UK), and because of some traditions, such as those of heavily religious societies it was kept behind close doors and still is in some places. With the western modern worlds communication network all "dirty laundry" is increasingly aired in public, so it SEEMS to be getting worse. I dont think it is. Often repression of behaviour that isnt actually harming anyone but is seen by some as immoral can lead to worse things than if it is done out in the open.

Answer 3

There is a lot to bemoan about moral values these days! Look at history, cultures that chose to go some pretty raunchy routes always were wiped out. No coincidence there. Moral decline has been around since the beginning of time. What concerns me is the present moral decline in my country (U.S.). We have gone from not allowing certain things on T.V. to promoting those things now. Our culture is heading the way of all the other cultures that chose to go the wrong way, we are going down the toilet.

Answer 4

It's the curse of revisionist history. People have a tendency, as they grow older, to begin believing certain things that are patently untrue. This includes the belief that people they knew in their youth had higher moral values than people of the current time. Also included are the belief that children were more respectful of their elders, politicians were more honest, the population was more polite and the price of everything was cheaper. All of it, when viewed in objective terms, is false. Humanity is just as selfish and wicked as it has always been, children have always been given to bratty behavior, politicians have been corrupt for as long as there have been politicians, we're still as polite to each other as ever, and while prices were lower in the past, so were wages, generally in a proportionate manner.

Answer 5

As time goes on, each generation values what they had growing up as "high standards." They in turn expect later generations to have the same standards that they had at a completely different time and place in life.

Answer 6

Morals have probably always been on the decline, but they are going down faster. I have lived long enough (almost 60 years) to have a perspective which can compare then to now.

Answer 7

particular, u.s. is on the decline. No i did no longer study Jared Diamond's give way, yet i don't sense I actual have too. i'm able to be certain the rustic happening in my very very own lifetime. a sort of days we are gonna get a telephone call on national radio and that's going to be the two the White homestead and Congress telling the yank human beings: Its been authentic effective, thank you lots, and solid BYE! As all of them fly away and abandon u.s.. the rustic is turning out to be a third worldwide u . s . a . and its being performed on objective!

Answer 8

IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS.

when? the last one.

Answer 9

religion i suppose.