Does anyone have proof that morals are diminishing in our society?

Question

It's stated here frequently, yet nobody ever tells me where they get their info.

Uhm...proof? You know man, like some kind of measuring stick, not 'look around and you'll see it'. I don't.

Answer 1

I don't have any numbers as you would expect and I don't believe people to be inheritantly more evil. I believe our natures to be the same today, yesterday, and in the future. I do however believe that the manifestation of problems as a result of our nature gets more complicated and varied over time. There are simply more ways to abuse lives. I have noticed that a few have answered this question by saying that they believe things are getting better and have made their case by stating that obvious evils are less prevelant such as public brutality. I think that Hitler type evil (when I say Hitler type evil I don't mean genocide I just mean obvious in your face undeniable evil) is probably fading away and being replaced by a more mundane luke warm evil. A subtle selfishness, an emphasis on instant gratification, a glorification of one's self, an apathy, a blindness. I think the western world glorifies hedonism, shortsighted selfishness, ignorance, laziness, and above all the enthroning of ourselves as the supreme power and authority. Anyway I could take the time to substantiate my claim with statistics with America declining in the education realm, the consistent rise in std's, the deaths related to some form of selfish gratification, drugs/ alcohol, or the combined opinion of the world that we are the kings and queens of moral decadence, but I will choose to be lazy and self indulgent and not take the time to exhibit all of that, and just leave it at, my humble opinion.

Answer 2

Standards have certainly diminished...you just need to look at the public sectors, housing, NHS, policing, crime.

Crime isnt diminishing and from what i can see u can get away with murder these days if u know how to manipilate the justice system....Ian Huntely anyone? This man demanded things while in jail and he was given them.

Cash for honours, the iraq war? The murder of Meredith Kercher who was killed because she refused to participate in 'extreme sexual experience'. The countless numbers of teenage crimes all of which are mindless to put it mildly, the drug abuse which is so widespread.

A lot of things which people were horrified at in the past have now become the norm...people cheat as if there is no tomorow, there are more single parents than ever, relgion has absolutely no strong hold on society, people believe what they want. There is no value on morals these days

Answer 3

I don't need to read a newspaper (although there certainly are quite a few examples found there) to tell me that. I can only go by my personal experience. I grew up in the 60's & 70's, and I remember vividly that I could ride my bike pretty much anywhere in the town I lived in, and yes you were taught to not talk to "strangers", but the "strangers" really stood out as strange! And you knew instinctively that something was wrong. Now a days, a child molester or murderer may look like he belongs on Wall Street. And when I was young, pornography WAS A DIRTY WORD AND DEED! Today it's mostly considered normal and acceptable, (not by me though). I could go on and on with the examples. Ask any older person, and they will tell you things were never like this when they were a kid.

Answer 4

Look at the way the parents conduct their affairs and so will the child, too.

Example: If parents are yelling outside cussing each other, and and just being rude in genral, the child will pick up on that, and do the same in turn to others.

Never blame the child, but look to the instructors.
The master's teachings don't need to be questioned.

If you see a child behaving badly at school with no morals or respect, will you ask the child why you act that way? He will not know better. Talk to his parents and you will find a direct link as to why he is acting so. Look at their behavior and see how they interact with others. Apple never falls far from the tree.

Answer 5

I don't necessarily think morals have diminished. Maybe. Maybe not. People are now at liberty to express their morals which I see as the biggest difference between *now* and *then*.

I think there *might* have been a lot more doom, gloom, death and destruction in the past with a shift toward higher morals at this time, actually.

Open up a history book and compare then and now. In fact, read anything you want to read. You will not be punished in any way ~ which is another difference between then and now.

Answer 6

As with child abuse, the "moral problem" was always there. We just see it more now. Were politicians not corrupt 2 or 3 hundred years ago? We know children were abused for eternity. We know that and other things because of the laws that have been developed over time. People have been crying since forever about how we're all going to hell. And here we are.

Answer 7

The same thing has been said, all the way back to the Greeks.

It's human nature to yearn to return to a time that never existed.

Divorce is not a decline in morality. How about the women (and men) who have escaped brutal, abusive relationships? Do their children deserve to witness such actions?

I say the opposite. I am excited to be living in such a Golden Age of science and medicine, seeing family members survive cancers that killed other family members 30 years ago. I could go on, but I'll leave it with even medical tests are less painful or not at all painful.

Answer 8

Most people imagine a sort of "Golden Age" of morality that existed sometime before they were born, and loudly declaim that the age in which they live has fallen from this pure standard.

This has been the case for a very, very long time. Archaeologists have unearthed graffitti in which the writer laments the state of morals in ancient Rome, for example.

Answer 9

where do we see "morality" emerge from... the church gives us good and evil... but nature through evolution gave us conscience and through the conscience came right and wrong.. equality between male and female, equality between races of humans, intolerance of murder.. even by the church, the work for peace, protection for children.. these have never been religious goals.. these issues have evolved with our natural conscience... So morality... is based on the principles of right and wrong.. not good and evil... for the church has never had a problem massacering any human for simply not believing in the church.. also we would have to look at what opposes morality ie... equality for women, equality between races.. free speach.. freedoms of all sorts.. that would be the churchs or religions... with every religious revival comes an oppression of people... and a persecution of people....

Answer 10

actually, there has been an improvement since 1993...crime is a reflection of morals....and crime has decreased since 1993....

this however, only includes, crimes defined by law..

abortions went up since 1973 and have been remaining at about 1.3 million a year....

child abuse/neglect is up.....

you just have to look up the statistics on each issue and see what is happening....