Morality in America??

Question

When I hear about moral values and the talk of moral values in America, I have realized that everybody has a slightly and sometimes a radical differently view of what morality is. Therefore I have come to the conclusion that morality is only an illusion. Who agrees with me that the talk of the moral decline in America is completely ridiculous and distracts us from issues that really matter? And why or why not?

Answer 1

I agree that the concept of morals can vary greatly between people, but morality also changes along with time.  Some things that seemed completely immoral generations ago, have become more of a socially acceptable norm.  For instance pre-marital s*x used to be considered highly immoral, but today it's commonplace.  So the idea of a moral decline really doesn't apply, it's more like a restructuring of social norms.

Answer 2

The question is tainted by the insertion of the phrase. "...in America."  That simple insertion makes the question irrelevant, i.e., Morality on the dark side of the Moon,  Morality in E. LA, Morailty under the gulfstream, etc.   Your concern about "..the talk of moral values in America"  is more manageable and perhaps more  relevant to your specific interests.

It is possible to understand that man as an evolved being was a natural being before he/she was a moral being.  St. Paul (Rom. 7:7-8) says, "If it had not been for the law, I should not have known sin...."  Morality results from a system of imposed laws, regulations, beliefs, etc.  These can imposed  from external sources  as was the Ten Commandents or internally as is gangsters rules. When we talk about moral values we are talking about our responses to imposed behavior codes.  Some people find them hideously difficult to follow while others think they come from God. Your questions says more about you than it does about some collective group living in America pontificating about who is or who isnt following the sacred rules.  The world is overbrimming with morality. And vice versa, moral decline is a constant.  But we are beings living in collective space.  So the talk of moral decline will continue till we are all plugged into the same data base.  And then we cease to be natural beings.

Answer 3

The moral issues ARE what really matters.

The proof is that moral decay in America is leading to its downfall.

Talking about it, however, does nothing.

It is just getting worse and worse.

Answer 4

???

Morality is NOT an illusion.

And, although people include and exclude particular things (religious people think not having s*x is more moral than having s*x, for instance), mostly, humans share the concept.

Murder, theft, beating someone to a pulp -- these are all among the universal things.

It basically comes down to harm: harming someone is immoral.

I think in many ways, America (and the world in general) have been becoming MORE moral: more and more, all people have been included in the concept 'human' (racial minorities, females, g**s, children).

Yes, the bogus "decline in moral values" is among the non-issues that are used to distract the masses from the biggest problems, such as growing disparity between the fewer and fewer have-mores, and the more and more have-lesses.

While everyone whose standard of living is swirling down the toilet are all focussed on illegal immigration, who should be allowed to marry whom, and race-bashing, the few who own nearly everything walk off with everyone else's money, laughing madly at us.

Answer 5

Morality isn't strictly an illusion, that would lead to nihilism.

It is socially constructed, though.

Answer 6

Depends on what you define as morality.

Personally, I'm tired of seeing our youth exploited and our elderly neglected for the sole purposes of simply separating the money from the lower and middle class just to support an economy that only cares about the bottom line.  Manners costs nothing, yet America's media only seems to value base behaviour and even rewards it with fame.

The general population of America seems pretty decent, but ignorance and exploitation are regularly used to manipulate the masses and lowers the standard of living, emotional well being and overall health of the nation.