The Decline of Morality Noureddine Boutahar

It is said that "to be truly human is to be moral". However, as one reflects upon the passage of time, it becomes evident that moral values are on a decline. Various factors contribute to this downturn, including aspects such as faith, upbringing, culture, environment, personal experiences, education, and relationships. The implications of this trend do not augur well for humanity if the descent continues unabated.

Let's begin by clarifying the concept of values. Values encompass the principles, beliefs, and ideals that shape an individual's decisions and actions. These deeply ingrained virtues play a significant role in influencing attitudes and behavior. Examples of such values include honesty, respect, integrity, responsibility, fairness, accountability, gratitude, courage, selflessness, patience, trust, and compassion.

Surprisingly, according to a survey by Nature, respondents in more than 60 nations expressed a prevailing belief that people are now less moral than they used to be. However, when asked to provide specific examples illustrating this perceived decline in morality, few could cite any. Nevertheless, having experienced life in both rural landscapes and urban jungles, traversed the globe from Europe to America, and coexisted with generations ranging from Gen X to Gen Alpha, I can personally debunk this claim.

Evidence of the decline in moral values is glaring in the transformation of our once-trustworthy neighbors into strangers, our close-knit circle of friends into mere acquaintances, and the ties with relatives evolving into unrecognizable connections. The erosion of moral standards further unfurls in the shocking incivility displayed by today's youth when contrasted with the courtesy of the Silent Generation, Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, and Millennials. It is palpable in the unparalleled rise of fraud that stains our increasingly greedy society and the unpleasant swelling of foul language echoing through our public spaces...

Consider embracing your convictions today and people will part ways with you as a scabby animal. Try holding unwaveringly onto your principles and you will get a wave of backbites and slander. The pursuit of authenticity may unveil heart-wrenching consequences like the risk of losing connections with friends, relatives, colleagues, and neighbors. The quest for originality may cause a bitter truth and disclose the opportunists, ingrates, and hypocrites. Being moral in today’s society is a tussle that hurts and aches and challenges our convictions.

My childhood experiences have imparted a valuable lesson. As a child accompanying my parents to the Souk, the weekly open market, I observed them discreetly concealing valuable purchases. Intrigued, I questioned this behavior, and my father imparted a profound lesson about considering the feelings of the less fortunate— the poor, the deprived, and even pregnant women with specific food cravings. Despite my semi-illiterate parents and completely illiterate grandparents lacking formal education, they were paragons of virtue. Their wisdom, compassion, selflessness, and tolerance weren't derived from the teachings of Aristotle, Ibn Miskawayh, Umberto Eco, Ibn Arabi, André Gide, Naim Qassem, Paul Kurtz, or Bertrand Russell. Instead, these virtues were deeply ingrained in them through the channels of observational learning, personal experience, and attentive listening.

In their turn, my parents and grandparents not only conveyed moral values through words but also stressed the importance of observational learning, exposing us to places where virtuous actions unfolded—such as Souks, public ceremonies, and family gatherings. The significance of family gatherings was underscored as pivotal moments for instilling these values, a tradition now scarce in the face of technological influence.

The lion's share of blame for our moral decline today lies with technology, from television to cellphones. The absence of family gatherings, once a cherished opportunity to share stories, traditions, and values, has become a rare occurrence. The repercussions of this decline are significant, leading to a breakdown of trust, a decline in empathy and compassion, a disregard for honesty and integrity, and a lack of accountability and obligation.

This snapshot of societal decay is not merely disheartening; it serves as a stark call for reflection and a fervent plea for a moral resurgence. Echoing Anne O'Hare McCormick's words, "The foundations of the world will be shaky until the moral props are restored." In essence, a society consistently compromising its moral values is fated to witness the erosion of trust and social cohesion, potentially descending into what Thomas Hobbes aptly termed "the war of all against all." The looming question is: What kind of society awaits us at the end of this tunnel if we persist in nurturing such vices?