what is MOST responsible for the decline in morality and the rise in selfishness....?

Question

....if you think there has been a decline.

gutter press?

television?

the ME culture of capitalism?

movies always trying to push the boundaries of taste and decency back a fraction more with every year?

Answer 1

I am not sure there has been any such decline. The idea of the Good old days is a myth. Societies have always had evils and good.

I think that the illusion of an increase is created by the increase of population and the proliferation of mass communications.

Free market capitalism, although a very dangerous idea, has also produce at least in some parts of the world unprecedented quality of life.

Mass communication makes us aware of all the evil events that occur, but it also facilitates our awareness of correctable suffering. And there are institutions developing, however inadequate, to address that suffering.

The "pushing of boundaries" of popular culture, while creating new problems, also free us from constraints that caused unnecessary suffering.

Answer 2

Absolutely nothing other than "technologies" .Without these from the radio right through to today's compy highway,its a me , want it now,permanent 3 yr olds tantrum.All capitalism ,consumerism,advertising and wanton destruction is all to do with Christmas,not the christian festival,but the high jacked get it now straight to every 3yr old having a paddy,that includes you and me and everyone,third world countries are on to it now.Why do you think their debts were wiped,so we could have a new market,why did we give our old mobiles to these poorer countries,so the mobile industry has a ready market for newer phones.Global warming we will never catch up,we will have raped,pillaged,and killed,murdered,just to keep up with Jones's,whats more jones will be one step ahead,well that's what the advertisers will tell you on behalf of the global capitalist consumers union that is the world banks and you will believe it as usual.So money is the root of all evil.Try giving your kid an orange in their Christmas stocking,would you even bother,no of course you wouldn't,but remember these kids are only tomorrows adults,more you get more you want.Of course there is this ,vain hope, that this technology will free us of all this !! How many ads you seen here? Statistically the murder rate has come down and we give more to charity,we go out of our way to ease our guilt,manipulated by the "free" press.Tv is bombarding images, even between intelligent programmes,of must haves,wifi(whats now in news?)So whats been already made(cynical i know)that is to be a must have to replace it,who will supply,who has shares(money/influence)Statistics can prove black to be white if required.Dont be mugged off,look beyond ,ask questions on here and elsewhere.Rose glass is nice,but do not try staring at the sun.

Answer 3

"Fin De Siecle" is french for the end of the century, but to Great britian during the Victorian age is conotated the idea of the end of not just the century but morality. Aetheticsim was growing amoung the upper class and it valued Decadence. The middle classs saw this as a knife in the back of there morals. U see for a long time poeple thought morality has been vanising. BUt really alll that is happening is that we are geting older and becoming more aware of the vainity and inmoral acts. So don't blame t.v or any modern tool, becasue if it is vanisioning it has been vanisioning for a while now

Answer 4

Capitalism in authorities has taken the pride and creativity out of the exertions rigidity. Gutter press is basically media on the bottom elementary denominator. they are giving people what they opt to take heed to: scandal. Margaret Thatcher is an fool. What do you imagine creates barriers, institutes regulations, reinforces morality and custom? Society. in case you've faith you're not to any extent further affected by society on a daily basis then i will no longer help you. The decline is capitalism dehumanizing workers who then turn to junkmedia for actualization denial.

Answer 5

I think it's people's struggle to be nonconformist in a world which despises non-conformity (even though sometimes it's glamorized, but rarely). Allow me to elaborate.
People want to be unique and different because everyone is the same; thus, when they finally find a way to do so and be unique and different they do not want to share it because then it will become widespread and corrupt by the media; thus, destroying the real essence of why the person was doing whatever it is he/she was doing. Therefore, people are more protective of anything that might be a target for such corruption and as a result they become dubbed selfish.
This is a theory I just developed and I don't really like to repeat old worn out theories.

Answer 6

First of all, I don't think that "morality" is any better or worse than it's ever been. It all depends on your point of view, philosophy, religion, politics, etc.

Now, selfishness is another matter. I think that progressively, generations that came of age in the 80's and 90's wanted everything NOW.

Movies or Hollywood have little to do with anything; they mirror our culture more than they define it.

In the words of Pulitzer winner Leonard Pitts,"Spider-Man 3 made $373 million (in one) weekend. You do not sell $373 million worth of anything in just three days unless you have a pretty good idea who your customers are and what they want.

You kid yourself if you truly regard (Hollywood's) values as some alien belief system foisted upon righteous, defenseless Americans.

Hollywood is driven, like any business, by market forces.

In America we vote with our money.

And for all the talk about Hollywood as a bastion of liberalism, the truth is this business -- again, like any other -- is conservative.

People are generally conservative when it comes to their money."

Parents are significantly bigger influences on their children than things like television and movies.

The former are real life; the latter are just entertainment.

Answer 7

You say there is a decline in morality, a rise in selfishness. I do not agree. As time goes on, the humanity becomes more aware, they see evil they did not see before. That does not mean it was not present before. Today, everybody agrees slavery is bad. Two centuries ago, most people believed it was good, or at least morally neutral. There is progress of the humanity, but there are also steps back, different progress in different areas. different views as to what is progress.

Answer 8

Technology. an interesting thing came up the other day. I remember on school trips we used to play games on the bus, and talk. Now my girlfriends mum is a teacher, on a school trip the kids wanted to take iPod's and such like. Not exactly a conversational activity, and an excuss for theft and loss, compounded by the fact that the kids and parents were up in arms about her saying no to gadgets on the bus. Thats just a recent observation, hope that helps.

Answer 9

Ronald Reagan.. Kidding.. Kidding.. Seriously though, I do believe that television and consumer consumption have quite a bit to do with it. Toss in a little boredom, some savvy advertisers and you have got yourself a morally repugnant, overweight, bored out of our minds because we have basically seen everything, internet music stealing, Paris Hilton loving society. There! That feels better. Now I need a Xanax.

Answer 10

The problem that you pose is not to be taken lightly, I believe that in order to answer that, one must answer first, who is responsible for ones own actions? The answer is, of course, oneself. Therefore, if people could suppress their selfish impulses, so often catalysed by the media etc., they may be able to release their artistic, personal, and MORAL selves. I guess what I am trying to get at is that the single thing people often exempt from being the guilty party is often, well... the guilty party. In this case the guilty party happens to be people themselves. So, the "single thing" (no one thing can reasonably be held responsible for a action such as immorality) responsible for the decline of this trait, is the people who express this decline in themselves.