World
Society; Where Have All Your Morals Gone?
These days, morals seem to have taken a back seat to doing what is considered hip, cool, or even the norm.
 Why does it seem that society overlooks morals and ethics for material things? I mean, what is important in life? It definitely isn’t buying the latest gadget phones or having the newest of the new to grace ourselves with. There’s truth in the fact that we’re all busy people – we work hard for the things we want, shouldn’t we enjoy it? It’s when we give up our lives to the enslavement of money and valuing objects more than we hold high many other things where we get in trouble.
How often do we watch the news or read shocking articles about teenagers engaging in criminal acts or such evil, deviant behavior that it blows our minds? Granted, the media only likes to tell us what it wants us to know to keep us in a constant state of fear, but why? So that we can buy more things that supposedly help protect us or objects that will “keep us safe”?
Common sense just seems to be out the door nowadays. How often do we roll our eyes when we hear of frivolous lawsuits? How often do we shake our heads in disbelief when we hear of deviant behavior coming from an age group that only gets younger and younger each time? Is it sad that we understand why a group of girls will videotape a brutal beating of another girl just to post it on www.myspace.com or www.youtube.com?
The current state of ethics is atrocious. The blame can be pointed at a number of different sources—the easiest being the media. There are two choices that we have: we can either blame the media and say that it is beyond us to change any of this, or we can choose to do something about it. Indeed, it’s true that the media holds a strong influence on us and our loved ones. However, you can think for yourself, can’t you? Surely, you can’t agree with everything you read and you must question things from time to time. You don’t have to succumb to evil marketing ways and ploys to keep you working hard only to buy that expensive new machine that will gather dust in just a years time.
The issue at hand is not really about what the moral shift is and how we have strayed. We can analyze society until the end of time, but we would get nowhere. Instead, a better option is to focus on yourself and what you can do. It’s the easiest place to start. If one person took the initiative in their own life to become a better person, it’s likely that they will influence the lives of people around them. Of course, it takes more than just one person to change the world but it only takes one person to start. What are you waiting for?
Here are some things you can do:
Set your own examples – If you’re the type of girl who likes to do her own thing, perfect! Keep doing what you do. If you have your own unique style, have a knack for creating your own accessories, love different types of music and artists besides those on the radio, or have a talent that you can share with others – by all means, show it to the world! Setting examples for others, especially those younger than you, is a great way to get people interested in things that better themselves and help them find a different and unique them. Be a role model, even just by being yourself, and others will find the courage to too.
Think and look for truth – Think deeper about what is right and what is wrong. This is not to say that society is either, but going about your life seeking for the simple truths will help you with being a moral person. Spending more time on your choices instead of acting on impulses that you feel are “right” can also set the example for others to follow suit.
Take care of yourself – It is the key to everything, at least all that concerning you. Keep a balance in your life with healthy foods, exercise both for the mind and body, art to keep you inspired and enriching entertainment to pass your time. Try to avoid over indulging in any bad habits and keep yourself happy! Surround yourself with people who love you and care about you and hopefully you can do the same for someone else.
However, remember that it’s not all about you - We are often too caught up in our own busy worlds that we don’t recognize that other people exist as well. You don’t have to sell of your things to send money to all the starving children in third world countries, but remind yourself of what you have and be grateful that you can have such things. Avoid being selfish and greedy, it never looked good on anyone!
Take the time to care - Say hi to a stranger, hold open a door, say your please and thank you’s, or smile at random people if they catch your eye. It can really brighten up someone’s day and sometimes that is all we need to change even the smallest part of ourselves. If you took the small amount of time to wish a person a good day, who knows if that person will go out and wish someone else a good day and have the chain go on? That’s all it takes to get a good spirit going.
With a little benevolence in everyone, together we can make the world a better place.
-- Judy L.
Article photo © iofoto www.iofoto.com
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