Chosen Topic:
Why do you think it is necessary to teach moral values for the all-round development of a person?
'A' level student-inmate from institution A4
Consolation Prize
“To educate a person in mind and act in morals is to educate a menace to society,” is a quote of Theodore Roosevelt which seems to warn us of the danger of a group of people who can cause social dystrophy. In this era of rebellion, angst and ridicule, moral is the last answer. Our world is staged dreadingly and orchestrated by moral dilemmas as we lose our sense of values. Moral relates to the latin ‘moralis’ relaunch is the way we behave, think and our characters. This all-round development of a person can be built from strong ethics and values. Qualities such as responsibility, honesty, integrity and diligence are core facilitation towards a prosperous future.
Teaching moral values is essential as it is a way to guide and show the direction towards our finest judgement. Teachers impart wisdom along with the road maps towards the route of righteousness. History and anthropology reveals different moral standards set by our predecessors' culture and tradition. The key towards a nation's prosperity can be ascertained by how we are shaped in our thoughts. Hence, in this essay, I share why I think it is necessary to teach moral values for the all-round development of a person.
Our ethics and values can be moulded as we shape our views through the teaching of our sagacious teacher. Confucius showed to the world that love can heal all pain and he passed on this teaching to the Chinese, while Christians learn from Moses about the Ten Commandments which build strong values and character-building. Moral values can be the guiding path as we experience life in new challenges. Good virtues and behaviour are the guiding past towards our civilisation. Ever since the advent of science and technology, humans have become more vulnerable towards greed, lust and self-aggrandizing. Moral values became the least of the needs and changed mindsets of our future generation. As Confucius once said, our brain development can be honed towards high virtues but our actions can adhere towards the vices.
Science and technology exposed us to many breakthroughs that won our hearts. For example, the invention of airplanes causes humans to hunger for further exploration and without moral teaching, the hunger for exploration can change to selfish ventures. In the South province of China, most of the children are left with their grandparents as their parents each seek their rag to riches. Such detrimental starts can cause a generation of kinds to suffer. The weakening ties of family bond created social disharmony and a disintegrated family tree. Moral values need to be honed since young so that we understand the importance of a strong family unit.
As we enter the digital age in the 20th century, the social media trend escalates more social problems and leads to severe moral outrage. The youth became insensitive, self-destructive to their own future undertaking and hungry for selfish needs. The millennial division between youths and their older generations gave an adverse effect towards social discordance. The matter of moral values cannot be classified by age, era or education but strong values can be sharpened due to our level of consciousness. It is necessary to teach moral values for the all-round development of a person as it leaves an imprint towards anyone that we meet. The exchanges of a smile, a nod and mere acts of kindness are what Aristotle taught us to have in order to give and receive love.
The rise of the internet destroys personal interactions, self-values and changes the way humans respond to one another. Without proper moral values, the internet takes charge of our indifferences towards one another and pushes blames as priorities change. The new generation blooms as they chase after self-narcissistic needs and claim their rights towards populism. Their regards towards morals and ethics are blurred against their own views of rights and wrongs. They are more focused on blaming, shaming and instilling fury towards the authorities, which bring more social dystrophy. The governing sectors should inculcate moral values as the nation starts to create social disharmony. In America, their citizens believe that everybody has voices but they disregard the fact that humans can be influenced by vices.
Our generation has flouted many rules. Homosexuality was once referred to as taboo but now won hands and legalities. As same-sex marriages become legal in many countries, our ethics and values change directions. The moralistic view towards gender and equalities brings moral values into questions as fathers tend the homes while mothers find the expenses. Marriage wreckage results from pre-marital affairs as women and men switch roles and children grow up watching the mass media as they are left on their own devices. The all-round development phase of a person can start and step at any pace but without proper moral guidance, our world can be a devastating, impoverished culture.
Our moral values cannot be returned if we fail to nip the problem at the bud. As youth revolt and crimes shoot up - our moral virtues are to be upright. At any age a developmental phase can be, we need to adhere to kindness, giving and love. Some simple values that leave our generation a life-long legacy.