Decaying Morals

In cursory research, which may not qualify as entirely reliable, I was informed that schools no longer teach Morals as a subject. Perhaps this is because an overwhelming majority adheres to the noble faith of Islam, making a separate subject seem unnecessary. Morals, anyway, are presumed to be ingrained by the family or the moulvi who teaches the Holy Book.

During my school years, we had at least 90 minutes of dedicated lessons on morals every week. We were tested through dialogue and quizzes, while our teachers supplemented the family values reflected in our behaviour. They were never hesitant to correct us where required.

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Our teachers, Rev. Brothers and Sisters (nuns), encouraged discussions on morals derived from fables and parables, particularly Aesop’s Fables. The teacher would narrate a story and invite discussion on its lesson. Each story carried a distinct moral. From one such tale, we learnt that our deeds, noble or ignoble, invite corresponding consequences.

My father narrated to me, and I in turn narrated to my children, who passed it on to theirs, the story of the Woodcutter and the Axe. Its moral concerned truth and greed. In this friendly manner, fundamental values were imparted with the purpose of making them part and parcel of one’s character.

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Morality comprises the principles, values and ethical dictates that shape an individual’s personality. Every moral act contributes to the edifice upon which character is built. Values not deeply entrenched become like clouds drifting wherever the wind blows. Chastity and modesty are essential pillars of many moral codes, while morality remains indispensable to the development of a stable and righteous society. Ethics are external rules which, once adopted, become standards of morality and ultimately shape character.

Morals are internal blueprints developed during the formative years of life. They become the moral compass guiding our judgement between right and wrong.

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No economic need can justify compromising morality. Truth and trust must be upheld in poverty and affluence alike. Compromise invites a successive decline in moral values, a stage through which we are currently passing as a nation. When truth becomes open to interpretation, it ceases to be truth. Once falsehood displaces it, injustice inevitably prevails, creating an environment of fear rather than freedom.

In wartime, hatred of the enemy becomes necessary to kill or harm fellow human beings, an act fundamentally repugnant to human nature. Yet, in this context, vice is converted into virtue: what would otherwise be condemned is justified in the national interest. How perplexing.

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Survival of the fittest is a popular adage, but what does it demand? In simple terms, the means employed to achieve an objective must be honourable, honest and judicious. Without these virtues, those means fall outside the ambit of morality. The expression should perhaps be restricted to the animal kingdom, where even creatures appear to follow a code of behaviour.

The mantra for living cannot be Cum finis est licitus, etiam media sunt licita — the end justifies the means. Neither noble nor ignoble ends should justify illegal methods of achieving them.

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Today, increasing divorce rates are frequently discussed in our society. This is not necessarily a sign of peace or emancipation; it may also reflect a deeper erosion of commitment and moral responsibility.

The satisfaction that follows a good deed reflects morality, while the discomfort following a wrong one may signal its absence. We know the distinction, yet through wilful ignorance or deliberate action, we blur the boundaries to make the immoral appear moral. A teenager accused of murder emerging on bail with a Churchillian victory sign is a disturbing reflection of moral decadence: bad behaviour is celebrated rather than condemned.

Moral principles cannot be sacrificed at the altar of expediency. They must be carved in stone. To do the right thing for the wrong reasons is itself wrong. As George Bernard Shaw observed, “The nation’s morals are like its teeth; the more they are decayed, the more it hurts to touch them.”

A society that holds moral behaviour in the highest regard has less need to rely on its arsenal. Physical or any other form of power must never become a substitute for morality. Morality demands the subordination of natural instincts to social requirements.

Morality significantly influences character and personality. It shapes social behaviour, informs ethical decision-making, and strengthens emotional intelligence. It also enables better judgement, bringing intellect and wisdom together to reach sound conclusions.

It is time to restore the teaching of morals at home, in schools, colleges and universities, and within organisations.

Sirajuddin AzizThe writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Columnist.

The writer is a Senior Banker & Freelance Columnist.

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