Ethics… Exciting stuff I know but it is something we don’t really think about much any more. It seems to be lost on most people and if you were to ask the average person to define ethics, they would have difficulty doing it.
At one time ethics guided our daily lives, they were the foundation of most of our choices, not that we would stop and think “is this ethical?” but it was always underlying our decision making. We learned ethics from our parents, our church, our community and our schools and each of these social constructs would hold us to living up to an ethical standard.
Not only did ethics frame our daily lives, they were also the context in which our values were formed. The ethic came before the value and if the values did not satisfy our set of ethics, it was rejected not only by the individual but your family and ultimately society. Today however, our choices in life are frequently guided by our values and the ethical ramifications of what we place value in, have become an afterthought.
Now this wouldn’t be a big deal if societal values were still things like family, charity, healthy living, friendship, community BUT unfortunately our society seems to have degraded into one which values little more than money, sex and fame and how you acquire these things is secondary.
Please understand, I am not trying to say that everyone in our society is an unethical, sex driven, money grubbing, fame whoer but it is certainly the central theme of most or our Popular Culture.
What is concerning about this, is that our children are the primary consumers of the media driven culture we live in and where once there was some sort ethical standard underlying our societies culture, today there is none.
So how do we raise an ethical child in a cesspool of perversion? One that cares about others and does not live a pursuit of pleasure existence. In the next blog post we will discuss some possible stratagies you can follow in raising an ethical child and hopefully generate some good discussion in the process.
It’s unfortunate to acknowledge, but I am forced to agree with you. Where we used to value our community and the sacred connections we had with those around us, we now value consumable things like money and fame, thing that are easily exhausted and leave emptiness behind. Ethics, like you say, is an afterthought, superseded by goals.
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Well Keith, I don’t think kids enjoy the pressure to be the media icons that are jammed down their throat but they don’t have much of an option. Society does not model anything but the pursuit of pleasure mentality. In addition, the adults in these kids lives have bought into the madness so what hope do they have. Once it becomes normalized in society it becomes an accepted societal standard by which people are measured.
I am one of those “analytical” types where it’s really hard for me to grasp a concept unless I fully understand the underlying pieces of it. I was hoping you’d be able to clarify “Ethics” vs. “Values”. I’m no expert so I’ll explain the way I interpreted the definition from this post and you can correct me. “Ethics” is summation of right and wrong deemed by the larger (or more important) group of people (society as a generic example). “Values” are an individual’s personal beliefs on right/wrong. To say that something is in your values but unethical to do means you are a bad person. Is that right? So your point is that what is now ethical was once unethical? If that’s true wouldn’t it be better to have values placed before ethics? As an extreme example: I can choose to value equal rights woman’s but in Iraq or Afghanistan that would be unethical. I think I see what you’re trying to say… that America has lost a focus on family and community in the way it was in the past but I like the idea that I choose my values and get to act accordingly. I do value family and community but above all I value equal opportunity on honest and most of all personal accountability. I think it’s the last of those three that is the cause of unethical behavior esp. in the 21st century the age of the internet and the feelings of Anonymity. Good thing though… we are loosing our Anonymity every day. I think its good news because when people feel like they won’t be able to get away with something they are less likely to be unethical. Ethical people need not fear exposure of the truth. [Or maybe I’m just WAAAAY over thinking this post’s point :-)]
You have it right!
Of course I have over simplified it considerably. Ethics is a HUGE subject and are a part of many universities curricular offerings, so little old me can hardly do it justice but it is certainly something for discussion. I really like your last line “Ethical people need not fear exposure to the truth” Thanks for your post!