Is this really the peak of amoralness? Or is it the beginning of a new golden age of free thought and expression?
I don’t know that I’d consider it the beginning of a “new golden age”, but considering that once upon a time, societies used to practice human sacrifice, society today is certainly not at a nadir of amorality.
IMO
our society has actually become more conservative since the world didn’t end in 2000
we’ve even become so conservative as to demand a republican president even though he isn’t very smart (gratuitous cheap shot).
now, morality, that’s all relative.
i have to take middle of the road and say that our morality has evolved in some ways and declined in others. We don’t beat people we care about as much, but we have much better access to porn (assuming one believes that porn is immoral)
the problem is there is no baseline for morality.
we can look at “the good old days” and remember them as morally just and good, but our vision is very easily obscured by time.
nobody ever really documented morality acurately.
we’re not thinking as freely as they did at the turn of the last century, but we’re a bit wiser now.
Quite agreed, Greck. The issue cannot be adressed without an adequate definition of ‘morality’ and I’ve yet to hear one. Religious folks define morality as aherance to the dogma of their particular belief system, and yet certain aspects of a given religion are contradicted by the facts and/or by other religions.
Let’s see, our society no longer enslaves black people. We no longer marginalize women and deny them the right to vote. We’re increasingly accepting towards gays and lesbians, et al. We’re more religiously tolerant. We’ve pushed (mostly) beyond such evil nonsense as Prohibition. We provide support and relief for our elderly and poor.
I’d say our society is a hell of a lot more moral than its ever been.
Kirk
ah, but there are those who would say that allowing women out of the kitchen and tolerating homosexuality is not only immoral, but against god’s will, the bible even says so in the case of homosexuality.
i happen to think they’re wrong, but still, they think they’re right, and going to heaven for thinking so.
(ugh, i can’t believe i’m writing this) where “good” means that something accomplishes it’s purpose, and the purpose of a species is primarily survival, caring for the sick and the elderly creates a burden and is not “good”
re: prohibition as evil,
alcohol is a common factor in like 90% of instances of domestic violence.
it’s poisonous to the body, hence the toxic effect that we call a “buzz”
a hangover is, essentially, miniature withdrawal from alcohol dependence.
if alcohol were discovered today, there’s no way it would be legalized.
in fact, no friggin way
i’m just saying the argument could be made, not that i would make it.
it’s not that we’re more moral, we’ve just shifted our morality to meet political agendas.
Totally 100% agree with this statement!
Hate to pull a Godwin here, but I’d say that morality is a lot better than it was in the 1940’s (at least in Germany…)
All societies are “immoral” that do not conform to ones own personal morality.
Why, I think it is terrible – unforgivably immoral – that we have shirked the all-important moral duty of eating the flesh of our enemies!
Can we make a distinction between amorality and immorality?
How do we define the terms? What does it mean to be “moral?” The OP is too vague in its scope to engender useful discussion.
Ah yes, the wonderful past, when women and children were property and anything could be done to them. When abuse was never mentioned, rape victims were either permanently shamed or made to marry their perpetrators, child labor was legal and accepted, and workplace injuries were just tough luck. When women couldn’t walk alone–or earlier yet, when any travelers were quite likely to be robbed, and town streets were pitch-black, perfect for gangs of criminals. When adultery ruined a woman for life, but was practically encouraged for men (not that I think much of adultery in anyone).
Not to mention the lack of hot running water. No thanks, I’ll take our depraved modern world. At least I’m used to it.
ASnyone who (wrongly) thinks that society is getting worse should watch a bunch of History Bites episodes. They make it perfectly clear that life prior to the 20th century routinely sucked, as opposed to only sometimes sucking.
I don’t know if my great-grandmother was morally superior to myself, but half her children didn’t survive to adulthood. With that in mind, I’ll accept a bit of internet porn with my penicillin, thank you very much.