Man : Wrong and Right (Morality)

Morality ( Latin moralitas "manner, character, proper behavior")

        Man is born with a moral sense which enables him to differentiate between right and wrong. The differentiation of human intentions, decisions, and actions  that make it a good (or right) and those that are bad (or wrong). Even primitive societies had words which denoted between good and bad.

      Societies life universally does not practise a standards/norms of vice and virtue, but communities the world over knew what is good and bad. Speaking the truth, keeping promises, respecting family ties, helping the poor and weak, were considered signs of good morality. Of course, morality cannot be coded but its rules are well understood.

        Justice, courage and truthfulness is praise, and not falsehood, injustice, dishonesty and breach; sympathy, compassion, loyalty and generosity are valued, while selfishness, cruelty, meanness and bigotry have never been approved of by society. Appreciation for perseverance, determination and courage, but never impatience, fickleness, cowardice and stupidity.

         Dignity, restraint, politeness and friendliness have been counted virtues, whereas snobbery and rudeness have always been looked down upon.

         People with a sense of responsibility and devotion to duty won the highest regard, those who are incompetent, lazy and lacking in a sense of duty have never been looked upon with approval. “Do not do to others what you do not want to be done to yourself."

          These qualities have been highly valued since the dawn of civilisation. Service and care of the aged, helping one’s relatives, regard for neighbours, loyalty to friends, aiding the weak, the destitute and the orphans, and nursing the sick

            Individuals who are honest, sincere and dependable, whose deeds match their words, contented with their own rightful possessions, prompt in discharging obligations to others, who live harmoniously  and let others live in peace, and expecting good can be expected, is the basis of any healthy human society.

          The examples above show that human moral standards/norms are universal and have been well-known to mankind throughout the ages. Good and evil are not myths, but realities well understood by all.  A sense of good and evil is inherent in the very nature of man.

Sources of Evil/ Immorality

       When an immoral act is committed, human nature and natural morals are not the basic motivators of such an act. 
         Rather  

• the upbringing and 
• training, 
• environment, 
• compulsions of norms from the society and 
• artificially created social norms, 
• bad company and erratic and 
• negative use of one's natural desires and passions. These external factors influenced  immoral acts and improper behaviour.

       Everything in this universe exerts an influence on its environment and vise versa. Every action is followed by a reaction. We know how a person’s health is influenced by changes in weather, by his food, his dress, and his home.

       Growing up in life , the whole world is an observation and perception vehicles in which Laws of Nature begin to unfold. A reservoir of diverse information accumulates and built up gradually in his mind, and this reservoir itself becomes a source of training for him and his fellow-beings. Most people observe events unintentionally and pass over them summarily and thinking  that their memory has not preserved these in its store-house, but in fact, these observations and scenes find their way into our consciousness silently and imperceptibly

      Manifestations of a decay and disintegration society:

         Disorganisation, indiscipline, anarchy, disunity, injustice and social privilege (nepotism). Robbery, murder, larceny, adultery and corruption have always been condemned. Slander and blackmail have never been considered a healthy social activities.

        Moral degradation is a complex and serious disease with devastating long term consequences.  The decline in quality of life as well as the decline of societies and nations, destroying  individuals, families, dynasties and nations alike from within.

           It starts slowly with seemingly harmless choices by some individuals but then it spreads like an epidemic affecting the society at large. Moral decline or degradation begins when transcendent moral values, which have proven to be beneficial over time, are discarded for vain lustful desires. 

        In the name of freedom of choice, unwillingness to condemn or prevent the spread of moral degradation. Society goes in circles chasing the symptoms and dressing up the outcomes rather than addressing the root cause.  In our times, Examples of this phenomenon abound; like immodesty, adultery, cohabitation, teenage pregnancies, drinking, drugs, pornography, homosexuality, financial and political corruption, etc.

Moral Exhortations

To prevents moral decline:

·        Knowing the nature and stature of man (i.e., his strengths and weaknesses, his potential to do good and his propensity to do evil)

·        Differentiating right from wrong

·        Inculcation the risks and dangers of moral degradation

·        Guiding  (dos & don’ts) on avoiding those risks

            Man is essentially a rational being. His rationality is compromised by his emotions. Research by Paul Zak, a world expert on oxytocin, or what he calls the 'moral molecule', has largely confirmed argument for why humans can be virtuous.

       Virtuous behaviors are caused by the brain's release of the neurotransmitter and hormone oxytocin.  When  oxytocin is high, caring and helping behaviors follow. When we inhibit oxytocin release (administered testorone  to volunteers), virtue wanes and selfishness dominates.

        Oxytocin release makes us feel empathy and by doing so increases our sensitivity to the feelings of those around us.

The four directions of good moral:

·        Our faith/actions should be true and sincere.

·        Prepared to show it in deeds of charity to our fellow-men.

·        Be good citizens, supporting social organizations.

·        Individual soul/belief must be firm and unshaken in all circumstances.

The Origin and Sources of Good of Morals

a)    The Commanding Self

      The reasoning faculty in the human being is sufficiently well developed to analyze his behaviour critically and to perceive the immediate and remote consequences of his actions.

The foundation of good morals lies in our natural emotions and instincts, and good morals are nothing more than appropriate and controlled exercise of these naturally endowed powers and instincts.

       Hunger and sexuality are the basic commanding needs of humans and animals. Now if these basic commanding forces are brought under control, they become virtues. The need for such an arousal and how to channel and sublimate these emotion towards morality.

b)   The Self-Conscious

       Internal Conscious Judgment on the excellence of morals. The voice of conscience speaking when an act of indecency is being done. Every human being is endowed with this voice.

       The living perception of one's psychological condition or the call of the inner voice. The conscious heart controlling an action to ourselves. Deciding whether good or bad, by ask the heart and innersoles,

c)    Love and Faith

        Faith is the foundation stone of the Code of Ethics, Milestones on the way to good morals, strengthens our heart to achieve the good and shun the evil.

Starts to live a life of peace and security, freeing himself of the filth of vice and sin.