Morality - what is it? Problems of morality in the modern world

What is morality?

The modern concept of “morality” appears to each person differently, but carries the same meaning. The formation of internal ideas and decisions in the subconscious originates from it, and social position is built on it. The society in which we live is accustomed to dictating its own rules, but this does not mean that everyone is obliged to follow them, because everyone has the right to be an individual.

Moral

Often people choose a partial deviation from their moral values ​​in favor of a template and live their lives according to someone else's example. This leads to some disappointments, because you can lose the best years in finding yourself. Proper upbringing from a very young age makes a big impact on a person’s future fate. Considering what morality is, we can highlight some qualities inherent in it:

• kindness;
• compassion;
• honesty;
• sincerity;
• reliability;
• hard work;
• peacefulness.

Morality and moral values

Our society has increasingly come to believe that moral values ​​are a relic of the past. To achieve their goals, many go over their heads and such actions are completely contrary to the old days. Such a society cannot be called healthy and perhaps it is doomed to a meaningless existence. Fortunately, not everyone falls into the social funnel and the majority still remain honest and decent.

While searching for the meaning of life, a person develops his character and also develops high morality. Everything that parents have raised in a person can disappear over time or change in any direction. The world around us adjusts past values, perceptions and, in general, attitudes towards oneself and people, to create a comfortable existence. Now spiritual changes occur with the desire to earn more money and become financially independent.

Morality in psychology

Both ordinary people and psychologists have their own concepts of morality, from their own point of view, which can be completely different and never overlap, even if they are very similar. Each of the subspecies originates in the inner world of a person, his upbringing and values. The human psyche is divided by experts into two societies, each of which pursues its own goal:

1. Collective values ​​are herd instincts that, with their own world, can unite against the rest.
2. Compassionate values ​​are based on caring for one's neighbor for the benefit of any society.

Any objective morality is aimed at finding oneself as a socially secure, mature person. Psychologists believe that from birth a person is assigned to the first or second subgroup, and this is controlled by the individuals living with him and raising him. In the process of growing up and independently perceiving the world, re-education rarely occurs. If this does happen, then people who have changed themselves have very high fortitude and can go through any difficulties without changing themselves.

Basics of Social Studies

A person, being in society, is forced to obey special rules of behavior that are formulated in legal norms, customs, rituals, moral guidelines, and is forced to take into account the interests of other people, that is, a person has a moral consciousness. The origins of moral consciousness go back to customs that reinforced those actions that, according to the experience of generations, turned out to be useful for the preservation and development of society and man.

The moral consciousness of society is manifested in various kinds of social prohibitions, which are expressed in the concepts of moral duty, conscience, dignity, honor, good, evil, etc. The moral norms that emerged were not legally enshrined, but this did not mean that they could not be followed. Society monitored the implementation of these norms. What was important for a person was his approval or censure. Moral torment can be much more palpable and more painfully experienced than legal punishment; it is not for nothing that people call it torment of conscience. Morality defines the humanity in a person. It is known that man is the only creature in the world who does not receive his essence by the fact of birth. Every born child must go through a long path of socialization in order to become a human being. Children who were not raised in human society, for example, who were placed with animals at birth, never subsequently became human, even after returning to society.

Morality is the fundamental trait that defines the human form as such, therefore the overall progress of human society is inseparable from moral progress. Legal, or legal, assessment of human activity is based on laws, legal norms, and government decisions. Legal norms, unlike moral norms, are established by the state, and their implementation is ensured by coercive force. Moral (ethical) assessment is the approval or condemnation of human activity from the standpoint of those requirements that are contained in the moral consciousness of society. This is expressed in such concepts of morality as conscience, pride, shame, good, evil, justice, honor, dignity, decency. Moral behavior

It depends on the legal in that a person is not forced by any external force - neither the law, nor the ruler, nor God. Moral behavior is always a conscious, free choice of a person. A person devoid of an internal, moral core is an unfree person. He is a slave of nature, people, and his own passions.

At the everyday practical level, morality functions as a set of real mores of society, expressed in songs, fairy tales, riddles, proverbs, sayings, rituals, customs, and way of life. Simple moral norms are generally accepted rules of behavior accepted by all. But they are not given to a person at birth; they are not understandable without explanation. Moral assessments are instilled in the process of real education of a person, learning by him what is good and what is bad.

At the theoretical level, a certain social ideal is formed, which, although it does not always coincide with reality, is needed by society as a certain guideline in real behavior and its assessment. This ideal-theoretical level is called morality (from the Latin mores - morals). Morality is a set of norms, rules of human behavior in society, and ideas about good and evil, justice and injustice, supported by public opinion and the inner convictions of people. Many peoples developed their own specific moral requirements, which could change over time. Moral standards were fixed in various commandments and regulations. As humanity developed, an ideal common to all was established, which was expressed in certain moral codes.

In the process of historical development of society, systems of moral guidelines (imperatives) emerged as a set of ideal truths. Most often, these attitudes were put into the mouth of God or supported by his authority. The first known moral codes are given in the Bible (for example, in the Ten Commandments of Moses, in the Sermon on the Mount of Christ), in the teachings of Muhammad and Buddha. These teachings set out requirements related to the basics of human relationships: do not kill, do not rob, help in trouble, tell the truth, keep promises. Greed, cowardice, selfishness, hypocrisy, cruelty, deceit, and envy were condemned. Honesty, modesty, generosity, loyalty, and kindness were approved.

There are different moral assessments for different social class groups. So, for example, what was recognized in the chivalric morality of the Middle Ages for the upper class (worship of a beautiful lady) was unacceptable for the peasants. They were not required to be noble, to remain true to their word, to be brave. Among the peasants, traits such as hard work, patience, and skill were valued. And even such seemingly common concepts as loyalty to one’s word, honesty, kindness, and responsiveness took on different shades in different social class groups.

In modern society, the importance of moral values ​​is increasing. This is due to the need for the survival of humanity in the crisis situation of our world.

How is morality different from ethics?

Many people argue that morality and morality are synonymous, but this is a fallacy. Morality is considered to be a system established by society that regulates the relationships between people. Morality means following your own principles, which may differ from the attitudes of society. In other words, moral qualities are given to a person by society, and moral qualities are established by character and personal psychology.

Functions of morality

Since human morality is a phenomenon of social and spiritual life, it must imply certain functions that people perform in turn. Without even suspecting it, these tasks always occur in any modern society and, fortunately, are beneficial. Refusal of them entails loneliness and isolation, in addition to the inability to actively develop.

1. Regulatory.
2. Cognitive.
3. Educational.
4. Estimated.

Each of them is considered a goal and an opportunity for spiritual growth and development. Considering what morality is, existence without these functions is completely impossible. Society helps to develop and grow only those individuals who can control the opportunities within themselves that give rise to these goals. There is no need to specifically train them, all actions occur automatically, in most cases for the benefit.

The problem of youth morality

Many people say that modern society has already begun to decay morally. Indeed, crime, alcoholism and drug addiction are thriving in our country. Young people do not think about what morality is. The definition of this word is completely foreign to them.

Very often, modern people put values ​​such as pleasure, an idle life and fun at the forefront of everything. At the same time, they completely forget about morality, guided only by their selfish needs.

Modern youth have completely lost such personal qualities as patriotism and spirituality. For them, morality is something that can interfere with freedom and limit it. Often people are ready to commit any act to achieve their goals, without thinking at all about the consequences for others.

Thus, today in our country the problem of youth morality is very acute. Solving it will require more than a decade and a lot of effort on the part of the government.

Rules of morality

There are many rules that characterize morality, and we follow them almost without noticing it. Acting at the subconscious level, a person brings his mood, achievements, victories and much more into the world. Such formulations very closely embody what morality means in all its incarnations. Relationships in the world should be based on reciprocity for a comfortable existence.

By accepting these conditions, a person can learn to be kinder, more sociable and responsive, and a society consisting of such people will be similar to the ideal. Some countries are achieving this situation, and their number of crimes is significantly reduced, orphanages are closed as unnecessary, and so on. In addition to the golden rule, you can consider others, such as:

• sincere conversations;
• calling by name;
• respect;
• attention;
• smile;
• good nature.

What does the “golden” rule of morality sound like?

The basis of peace and culture is the golden rule of morality, which sounds like this: treat people as you would like them to treat you, or do not do to others what you do not want to receive for yourself. Unfortunately, not everyone is able to follow this, and this leads to an increase in the number of crimes and aggression in society. The rule tells people how to behave in any situation; you just have to ask yourself the question, how would you like it? The most important thing is that the solution to the problem is not dictated by society, but by the person himself.

Modern morality and religion

Everyone knows that any religion calls a person to virtue and respect for basic moral values. However, modern society puts human freedom and rights at the forefront of everything. In this regard, some of God's commandments have lost their relevance. So, for example, few people can devote one day a week to serving the Lord because of their busy schedule and fast pace of life. And the commandment “thou shalt not commit adultery” for many is a restriction on the freedom to build personal relationships.

Classic moral principles regarding the value of human life and property, help and compassion for others, condemnation of lies and envy remain in force. Moreover, now some of them are regulated by law and can no longer be justified by supposedly good intentions, for example, the fight against infidels.

Modern society also has its own moral values, which are not indicated in traditional religions. These include the need for constant self-development and self-improvement, determination and energy, the desire to achieve success and live in abundance. Modern people condemn violence in all its forms, intolerance and cruelty. They respect human rights and his desire to live as he sees fit. Modern morality places emphasis on human self-improvement, transformation and development of society as a whole.

Morality in modern society

Many people believe that the morality and ethics of modern society have now fallen greatly. Ahead of the rest of the planet are material values ​​that turn people into a herd. In fact, you can achieve a high financial position without losing morality; the main thing is the ability to think broadly and not be limited by stereotypes. Much depends on upbringing.

Modern children practically do not know the word “no”. Getting everything you want from a very early age, a person forgets about independence and loses respect for elders, and this is a decline in morality. In order to try to change something in the world, you need to start with yourself, and only then will there be hope for the revival of morality. By following good rules and teaching them to their children, a person can gradually change the world beyond recognition.

Education of morality

This is a necessary process in modern society. Knowing how morality is formed, we can fully hope for a happy future for our children and grandchildren. The influence on the human personality of people who are considered authorities for him, form in him unique qualities that have the greatest influence on his future fate. It is worth remembering that education is only the initial stage of personality development; in the future, a person is able to make decisions independently.

The meaning of morality

Some people believe that morality is only a necessary condition for going to heaven after death. During life, it has absolutely no effect on a person’s success and does not bring any benefit. Thus, the meaning of morality lies in cleansing our soul from sin.

In fact, such an opinion is erroneous. Morality is necessary in our lives not only for a specific person, but also for society as a whole. Without it, there will be arbitrariness in the world, and people will destroy themselves. As soon as eternal values ​​disappear in a society and habitual norms of behavior are forgotten, its gradual degradation begins. Theft, debauchery, and impunity flourish. And if immoral people come to power, the situation worsens even more.

Thus, the quality of life of humanity directly depends on how moral it is. Only in a society where basic moral principles are respected and observed can people feel secure and happy.