Who decides morality?

[kvnchrist]

With the ongoing culture war between the progressives and the conservatives, who will end up, ultimately in deciding what is moral in any society?

 

What holds society together and is culture a moving target that adapts to the changing attitudes or is it the rock our society is built around?

 

[Aurielius]

Morality in my view is personal in concept, an individual decides on their ethical system and either abides by it or not. Society on the other hand is tidal, it ebbs and flows between the polar opposites of conservatism and liberalism. Currently I believe the liberal view is ascendant, they have mastered the media, subsumed the educational process and are dominant in the entertainment medium as well. Thomas Aquinas said "give me a child to the age of ten and they are mine for life", think on the media conditioning that children absorb before they reach an age of intellectual discernment , if they ever do.

If one believes (as I do) that our society is one that does not like to ponder about difficult issues and has the attention span of a mayfly. Instead of formulating an independent analysis on issues they allow their demagogues to lead them by their collective left/right noses because it's easier than THINKING. I have a simple view of pushing my morality on someone else....not to.

Frankly I think there is much to be apprehensive about in either a far left or far right victory in the culture wars.

[HeyYou]

Oh Gee, I am stunned... I find myself in complete agreement with Aurielius.

[Vagrant0]

Old men in silly hats... But nobody listens to them any more.

[kvnchrist]

I give up.

[Nintii]

I say let's just get rid of morals, who needs them, they're archaic, outdated and old fashioned ... let's have a feel

good society ... I like your husband or your wife so let me just go with the flow.

Why bother teaching your children not to lie, swear or steal or the dozens of other things our society was built on,

let's just keep quiet and not push our useless sense of morality on others, let's keep it to ourselves.

 

So who decides morality ? ... only the people who give a hoot about tomorrow ... are there any left ?

[HeyYou]

There are some, but, they have become the (very) silent minority. Everyone is too afraid of offending someone else (and getting sued for it) by pointing out that some particular life-choice they are making probably isn't really good for them, or, society as a whole...... Not that the current generation really cares about anything other than themselves.....

[Aurielius]

Who decides societal morality? The majority does, that does not axiomatically make whatever the majority decides upon just, fair, or equitable but that's the way the cookie crumbles.

[HeyYou]

Not sure about the 'majority rules' in this particular instance. For the longest time, homosexuality was looked down upon, considered a 'sin', and, in some countries, could get you killed..... (and they make up less than 3% of the population here in the states.) But, today, we see the LBGT crowd seems to have more rights than the 70% of our population that adhere to some religion or other, that disagrees with them.

[Aurielius]

If you put the LBGT community in context with their liberal coalition allies I think you find a de-facto majority consensus.