If mankind is evolving, why do we observe such rapid moral degeneration in our society?

Question

Just one small example: 50 years ago, a man divorcing his wife was viewed upon as a scoundrel.

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

Because Evolution is a hoax. Nothing is getting better, but becoming worse as the Bible tells us. The earth is moaning and groaning because of increased sin. Repent all and return to the Lord.

Answer 2

Times change!

Every year there are new trends, new fashions, new ideas replacing old-fashioned ideas. Divorce is not a moral issue, it's a religious issue.

Contemporary humans are finding less need to make a religious commitment to a partner. The "Nuclear Family" has gone the way of the dodo bird because families split up so often now. It's not always the fault of both parents. If ONE of the parents chooses to "fly the nest" there's nothing that can be done to bring him (or her) back.

Times change and as soon as a scandal occurs nowadays, it's so talked about and dissected and reported on and analyzed that NOTHING is a shock to us anymore. Nothing surprises us or shames us.

But, if you're worried that morals are degenerating, consider this. If anyone knew of a child molester lurking in the neighbourhood, all the neighbours would rally and catch the scum and even beat the crap out of him before he got arrested. People, (if they're certain there will be no personal repercussions) will help an injured person, a mugging victim, report a drug dealer, turn in a scammer. People give to charities, help in soup kitchens, give their gloves to a homeless person, help a scared teen, teach an illiterate adult, help build a Habitat For Humanity house.

There;s a lot of good stuff going on out there. It's just different from the old days.
:)
.

Answer 3

We have to take a planetary and historical view to see what's going on. Certainly many things have improved as folks here have pointed out. Such degeneration occurs when we move from one epoch to the next. It has happened repeatedly when humanity has undergone paradigm shifts that enable humanity to conceive of itself in ever-larger unities from clan to tribe to village to town to city to city-state to nation.

Today we are witnessing the convulsive disintegration of the nationalism epoch underpinned by the forces released in the world with the Islamic revelation. We are moving into the planetary unity epoch and scramble around searching for the integrating moral base which underpins it. The moral basis for justice, prosperity, and peace can be found in the writings of Baha'u'llah whose fundamental teaching is the oneness of humanity, the oneness of God, and the oneness of religion progressively revealed.

Answer 4

Your assertion that moral standards are declining is absurd. We live in a fairer and more moral society than through most of history - religious authorities used to burn people at the stake for disagreeing with them for goodness sake, and it does not get much more immoral than that.

And if you think it is moral for a man to live in a failed relationship, destroying the happiness of his wife and children then your morals need such an overhaul I think you should trade them in for a new model.

Answer 5

That all depends on your view of moral degeneration, don't you think?
I think it shows advancement of society where, for example, a wife can now leave a husband who is abusive, or vice-versa, where 50 years ago they were stuck together for life.
I'm sure my mother, who left her first husband because he was a useless drunk, would have a very different view of moral degeneration.

Answer 6

So, what you're saying is that people aren't as judgmental about other people's personal lives anymore? Isn't that a good thing?

I'd say your example proves just how much we truly have evolved in the last 50 years. Even Jesus would be proud (if he wasn't dead)!

Answer 7

I question your unfounded claim that society is undergoing rapid moral degeneration.
The remnants of the old artificial Victorian moral code should be discarded completely.

Answer 8

Morality generally changes similar to a pendulum swinging. Kids growing up in really strict morally unrealistic homes generally rebel and live liberally. And then when they have kids and are morally loose their kids tend to want more guidance and direction and find themselves more conservative than their parents. And so the pendulum swings. Generally people aren't more immoral than they were 50 years ago they just don't hide it like they used.

Answer 9

Hogwash.
50 years ago there were segregated bathrooms for Negroes.
100 years ago, women were unable to vote.
150 years ago, people were hung for stealing enough food to feed their family.
Romans used to set Mandrills loose on 4-6 year old girls. The Mandrills would rape them repeatedly before killing them and eating parts of them. This was considered great entertainment.
And we've "degenerated" according to you? Seems to me that we could use a LOT more degeneration of that sort.

Socko,
you are correct, we ARE beginning to see the results; better ecucation, higher IQ's, better nutrition and medical knowledge. I could go on and on.
Oh yes, the results of realizing that myths and fairy-tales are just that, are many.

Answer 10

So staying with someone you don't love or in some cases don't even like at all anymore is the morally sound thing to do? You've got to be kidding me.

Whoever gave socko a thumbs up should be kicked in the shins.

Answer 11

Ninety years ago, women couldn't vote or own property or expect to be paid the same wages as men.

Eighty years ago, waterboarding was used to make African-Americans confess to crimes they hadn't committed:

http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2007/11/waterboarding-i.html

Forty years ago, rape was seldom reported and rarely prosecuted.

Thirty years ago, men didn't have to expect to be arrested for beating their wives or their children.

Twenty-five years ago (give or take), when I entered the workforce, you might occasionally overhear something like, "you needn't give her a raise, she makes good money for a woman."

Twenty years ago, no senior US government official would have dared to call the Constitution "just a godd@mm piece of paper," at least not where anybody might overhear him.