A sad day on Earth.
It’s just been at least 3 weeks since we said goodbye to year 2017 and a lot of us have been looking for a fresh start. Maybe you’re looking for a way to rise from your previous circumstance like changing careers, settling an old dispute or having a change of outlook. But sadly, a downward year starter happened to a college girl at this very day. I don’t know her actually and I just heard the news from my girlfriend but a viral video just got posted that would probably shame her for the rest of her life.
Morality at an all-time low.
When did the youth of this generation become so fuel of spite and chaos? Why does pride consume our thoughts too much? How can a person deliberately crush the other just to get even? Is this human nature? Is this what we ought to be nowadays? I believe this is the law of the jungle not law of man. I write this with all the courage I can muster. I will not keep quiet and watch this go on. This needs to be addressed. Let’s talk about morality.
Now let's talk about MORALITY
The dictionary defines it as “principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior”. Principles and beliefs are rational products of the mind which only humans are capable of having. Which is why Morality is deeply imbedded within the heart of man as it has been shown ages ago by philosophy and took form as laws for everyone to be guided on.
Besides communication, the ability to think of what’s right and wrong is what make us social beings of the highest calibre. I did not write this to judge or to put down someone. I write this in hopes that it is not too late for us to change our old ways. Below are morality challengers we may all have experienced.
1. Rational giving
Do you remember a time when a beggar came to you asking for spare change and food? Then you thought to yourself “The person is just going to use this on vices” or “This person is probably a part of a syndicate” and “Me giving them will tolerate their laziness” Sounds familiar doesn’t it?
When did giving became so complicated that we rationalize if the person is worthy of being given or if the person will put it into good use. Giving is defined as “freely transferring the possession of something to someone” also “the act of supplying a person in need”. I understand the most part that we are only careful but isn’t giving supposed to be an act of grace and good will towards others?
2. Everybody is doing it
In a sense this is just us being swept by the crowd. Whether it is from our peers, family, or the mass media as long as everyone is doing it then it’s fine. Have you been to a place where everything was not kept in order or always in a mess? Back when I was a college student in Manila I would get so infuriated how easy it was for people to throw their garbage anywhere. So I made a survey and interviews asking this question from different random people outside my university.
To my disbelief, most of the answers where about mob mentality. Answers like “It was already dirty in the first place”, ”I don’t see anyone being bothered about throwing trash here”, “Everyone seems to be doing it”, “someone will take care of it” all garnered visible points in my survey. What even startled me even more was most of my respondents were not even born and raised in manila in the first place.
3. Getting even
This is the cycle that never ends. Back in my toddler days I would do anything to get back at someone. Maybe we all had our fair share of “getting even “with those who hurt us. In the eyes of a grown up seeing a child wanting to get even is normal and childish but is it still normal when we do not out grow this?
Here’s a little story about this vicious cycle.
One day there was snake that made its way to a carpenter’s tool shed hoping to find its prey to eat. As it wriggled around the shed, a saw happened to fall on its tail. The snake enraged with pain constricted the saw hoping to payback the pain it caused it. The next day the carpenter visited his tool shed and was surprised to see a dead snake wrapped on his now broken saw.
That’s how getting even works. No one wins but everyone loses.
I only pray that this would not cause a stir. I know that we all have different circumstances and unique personality. But I think it doesn’t hamper the fact that we need to reorient ourselves on what is truly moral and upright. May the truth sets us free.