I came upon this during my timepass hours yesterday. Stuff like that always makes me think. What really do we mean by moral values? How do we define morality? What level of morality should a society expect from its citizens and what level should the citizens expect from society?
As a rule of thumb, the more prosperous an economy, the less traditional or "socially moral" it will be. It does not really matter if economic development is skewed or not, moral values seem to decline. This is not really surprising because an economically forward society is usually money-oriented and in a quest for material wealth and a high standard of living, people tend to disregard the details of living a moralistic lifestyle. There are different degrees of this, of course (Japan for example, still seems to preserve a vast reservoir of value-based culture in spite of being economically developed). But nevertheless, this trend is visible in almost every First World country today.
Is this trend desirable? Thomas Friedman put it perfectly when he coined the phrase "The Lexus and the Olive Tree". "The Lexus" supporters would say yes. Does it really matter if family bonds are broken if in the end the estranged members end up leading independent lives, free to pursue their own goals and ideals? After all, a society is made up of individuals. What is the point of having a society if its citizens aren't able to pursue their goals? Shouldn't a woman be free to divorce her husband if the end result is her becoming an independent woman, fully capable of managing her own life? Shouldn't a son or daughter break away (if only a little) from his or her parents in order to stand on his or her own two feet in a growing economy, full of opportunities that the parents are unable to see?
Then there is the other side of the spectrum. The people of the Olive Tree. These people are the ones who still have faith in the old system of values and tradition. A deep love for their culture and a firm belief in the laws of their ancestors prompt them to attack the trend of declining moral values. The love of money is the root of all evil, isn't it? What is the point of seizing the family business and all its profits if it results in you being estranged from your family, the people who brought you up? What purpose would it serve in going out on your own and making your own pile if you are never able to reconcile with your father and mother again? How will you ever understand or enjoy the delights of love and committment if you marry someone for a few years and then divorce her as if she was a use-and-throw toothbrush?
What do I feel? I feel that both sides give good arguments. I love the feeling of being independent and leading life the way I want to but at the same time, I do not want to involve myself in family quarrels or broken relationships. Basically I am one of those people who drive the Lexus and eat olives at the same time. I think, ultimately, it comes down to a matter of choice. People who want to break free from what they feel are shackles bogging them down should be allowed to do so. At the same time, people who need the feeling of comfort that comes with traditional values should be free to do so.
In the end, other members of society have no say in what an individual wants to do with his or her life. That is why I am against right-wing moral policemen who attack couples on Valentine's Day because they have no right to decide how people should exhibit affection. But more importantly, that is why I am also against the more subtle discrimination that occurs in schools and colleges (where someone is labelled as a dork for wearing vibhuti on the forehead or for performing sandhyavandana in the mornings) because others have absolutely no right to mock someone for being traditionalistic.
When such events stop, society will truly be developed.
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