Bilal Bhat
The modern materialistic world raises our standard of living but declines our standard of life. The erosion of moral values in our society today has become a phenomenon. Morals are the acceptable standard of general conduct or behaviour when judged by an average person or society at large. Morality plays a healthy synthesis between people, fostering cooperation, harmony, and an understanding of right and wrong, creating a value-based society. Family, society, culture, and social values influence morals. The agencies of education such as family, school, and society play an important role in developing ethical and moral values among our youth. Unfortunately, many families are disoriented, disorganized, and confused due to several social and economic factors, failing to play this vital role.
Our institutions of learning are preparing efficient individuals but not good citizens. Society today is marked by violence, greed, theft, drug addiction, and particularly crimes against women, such as rape and other types of violence. Discipline is lacking among young children, who often disrespect elders. The young generation has become so self-centered that they primarily serve their own interests. Thus, it is commonly believed that there has been a rapid erosion of ethical and moral values among the youth in our society.
In the present society, the spread of greed, self-aggrandizement, gross injustice, abuse of human rights, perversion of power, callousness, insensitivity, deceit, dishonesty, theft, bribery, smuggling, corruption, and exploitation has caused humanity to wallow in low and dark dimensions of consciousness. Religion and morality are being throttled, and the power of man is being misused. The growing influence of the negative aspects of Western culture on the younger generation has left them stranded at a crossroads. To make youth conscious of such evils, education based on moral and ethical values should be provided to them so they become rational human beings and avoid becoming beasts in human form. Although society is materially growing rapidly, morally and ethically, we are degrading day by day in every sector. Whether in our religious institutions, schools, government offices, or other institutions, practical examples of morality and ethics are missing.
Even our religious leaders, who should be leading by example, often fail to address the moral degradation in their sermons. Those who bear the responsibility to help rectify social crises often act as mute spectators. The day is not far when, despite technological advancements, we will resemble wild and beastly animals. We have doctors who view patients more as customers than human beings in need, and teachers who focus on helping students achieve career goals without prioritizing their moral and ethical development. Across our institutions, from top to bottom, morality and ethics are casualties.
Various factors contribute to the degradation of moral and ethical values among our youth. Parental behavior plays a significant role. Parents today are more concerned about their children’s education than teaching them good moral values. Working parents often fail to instill discipline and manners, unaware of their children’s activities when not at home. Excessive freedom can lead youth to undesirable activities like gambling and drug use, potentially resulting in serious crimes. Some parents, unable to meet their children’s demands, inadvertently push them towards immoral activities.
Mass media, including TV, print media, internet blogs, cinemas, and role models, significantly influence youth. Many media platforms neutralize and even glorify violence, vulgarity, and other negative behaviors, impacting the next generation negatively. The emphasis on materialistic achievements among students is another issue. The privatization of educational institutions has turned education into a marketable commodity, where institutes act as traders and students as customers.
Youth’s creative minds are often diverted toward antisocial activities such as public smoking, misbehaving in class, drug addiction, misconduct at home, and juvenile delinquency. These antisocial activities uproot social values, leading to regional conflict, bias, and societal downfall. The alarming increase in criminal and antisocial behavior among youth, driven by changes in social structure and individual motives, reflects this degradation. New modes of scams and frauds emerge as youth seek easy wealth, power, and fame with little regard for human values, leading to identity crises and strained relationships.
In the modern era, ethical and moral values are degenerating. People are becoming self-centered, and youth lack discipline and respect for elders. It is crucial for today’s youth to understand the meaning of moral values deeply. To create a crime-free society, human values and professional ethics must be emphasized. Morality is a critical deterrent to crime, antisocial behavior, assault, cybercrime, corruption, and other grave offenses. Identifying the causes of moral decline is imperative, as moral principles hold the world together. There is a need to impart moral principles and values to children to make them better and more responsible citizens. Strengthening the moral orientation of youth is essential for building a moral and harmonious society.
Writer Bilal Bhat is a Campaigner, Social Reformer cum Motivational Speaker
