(ThySistas.com) What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word morality? Morality is the principles concerning the difference between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. It is a certain system of values and principles of conduct, especially one held by a specific individual or society. Morality has several different components, it also refers to a “code” of conduct that could be adapted by anyone. Morality is a standard that a person believes should be universal. What you and I see as moral may be different to the next individual. Morality is based upon several different components such as your family background, your belief system as well as your lifestyle. Everything that is moral to you and I, will not appear the same way in the eyes of others we are all different and were raised differently. The simplest definition of morality is the extent to which an action is right or wrong. It is a body of standards ranging from religion, philosophy, or culture.
While we all have the concept of morality understood, what is right to me could be wrong to you, we are all different individuals and there are no two the same. The development of modern morality is a process closely linked to sociocultural evolution, some biologists, believe that morality is a product of evolutionary forces acting at an
individual level and also at the group level. Morality is sets of self-perpetuating and biologically-driven behaviors which encourage individuals. Human morality, although is sophisticated and complex relative to the moralities of other animals, is essentially a natural phenomenon that evolved to restrict excessive “individualism” that could undermine a group’s cohesion and thereby reducing the individual’s fitness. As people we all have strong beliefs about what’s right and wrong, even though morals from person to person some are universal.
Morality and religion go hand in hand, it is the relationship between religious views and morals. In many religions they have value frameworks which regard behaviors but, religion and morality are no where near in the same category. Morality in no way depends upon religion. People in various religious traditions such as Christianity derive the ideas of right and wrong from the rules set forth in the bible. For instance if a woman is looking for the right or wrong decision to make instead of her asking someone else she looks towards her religious views of what is morally right and wrong. In religion it is very common for its believers to believe that their religious views have no authority to be questioned. Morality is a very touchy subject, and obviously everyone won’t agree on what is right and wrong.
There are numerous reasons as to why we will never all agree on the same things we are raised in different households as well as generations that plays a major role in your morality. A killer could go out and murder millions of people and will show no remorse for his actions simply because it is not wrong in his eyes. No one knows the reason that he claims it is not wrong but if we were to speculate there are quite a few reasons he could see this as being morally right. His childhood and the way his parents raised him could be the reason why he thinks the way he does but on the other hand his religion could be why he thinks it is morally accurate to murder people. In some forms of religion as long as you repent for your sins then whatever you do is forgiven and in other religions if someone is harming you or someone around you then you have the authority to take matters into your own hands and do what needs to be done.
I find it very interesting that when talking about morality many people point fingers and challenge one another. In my eyes though there is a right and wrong, it is a very blurred line. Each individual is raised different as well as taught different values, what people do not understand is that your values are closely related to your morals. The two though not uniform are not that different from one another. Morality is different for us all, as people we are all different, and the choices we make will always vary. You’ll say it is right and I’ll say its wrong but who’s to judge?
Staff Writer; Myra Moore