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lynn P. · May 25, 2010, 01:50 PM

I put a trigger because some controversial subjects were brought up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AkAngel

In the "Is this what's it's like to be 13 years old" thread, there has been alot of talk about the decline of morals and values. I see you stole my thread - wondered why there was no activity lol (JK)

How do you differentiate between the decline of morals and changing morality? I ask because personally, my morals and values are not typical. In fact, I am quite sure that my behavior would often be attacked on moral grounds and yet, I consider myself to be a moral person.*

Let's digress a moment and offer some definitions. The term 'morality' is ambiguous by itself; there is descriptive morality and normative morality. Descriptive morality is morality accepted by a society or even an individual, while normative morality refers to an objective morality. Morals also differ around the world.

Because society evolves, so then does descriptive morality. It does little good trying to argue that the morality of my generation is better than the morality of a younger generation because sooner or later my generation will start to die off and hence, by sheer numbers within the society in which I live, I'll be wrong.

However, normative morality states that there is an objective morality and so, by sheer luck, my generation might have happened upon perfect morality and this new generation is screwing it up. I don't think this is very likely by the way.

Once upon a time, enjoying sex was immoral as sex was solely for procreation and enjoying it was proof of a poor character. Eventually, moral people were allowed to enjoy sex, as long as they were married before they did so and only did so with their spouses. Moving on, fewer and fewer people today think it is immoral to have unmarried sex within a dedicated and loving relationship. Who's right? Is there a normative morality that claims a final word on the subject?

The reason that I ask is that while I agree that a thirteen year old, even a willing one, probably shouldn't be getting groped on the bus - how about a seventeen year old? How about a seventeen year old in a darkened movie theatre? How about in the privacy of their own home? How about an unmarried 25 year old? Where's the line? Why is that line there? In an underage person, thank God we have laws, that state children should be protected from sexual touching. If a legal age person does it I still think it's morally wrong to subject other people riding the bus.Yesterday my kids went with my neighbor and her kids to watch some fireworks - the whole time, these 13 yr olds were making out in full view of the whole crowd. There were little kids there.

I place little stock in 'because everyone knows it's wrong' because I've seen society get it wrong so many times - and history has seen much more than I. So what I would like to know is what morals and values are declining and why do you consider it a decline instead of a change. I agree morals are subject to change. My own mother got married when she was 17 and my husband mother got married when she was 13. Even now there are polygamous communes that marry off 12 and 13 yr olds. I think it's fine for things to change as long as basic laws are enforced to protect children.

Thank you.

*insomuch as I can wrap my head around the whole dichotomous/dualistic way of thinking

Years ago, it used to be a crime to commit adultery -now I bet 70% of partners cheat. If this trend keeps going, will marriage eventually disappear. There has to be some kind of moral order in society, otherwise we all run around like a pack of monkey's.

Spanking used to accepted in mainstream society -now it's considered immoral. Children in other parts of the world have to work instead of going to school. Some young women in Africa and some parts of the Middle East have forced 'genital mutilation' performed on them. To those elders they justify this as moral, but to us its shocking.

The reason I wrote that thread is because I think think it's so sad 10+yr olds have to start complicating their lives when they're still kids by having sex. So does this mean societies evolving, where we should accept kids having sex? I hope not.

I think it easy to live morally - I was taught to be honest, kind to others, not to kill, don't steal. don't cheat and don't steal another woman's man. By choice I also don't drink or do drugs.

I think NF said it in a nutshell that there isn't enough emphasis at home and at school. The children spend more time watching TV and browsing the internet. Hollywood portrays and encourages that bad girl images. I'm amazed they even allow Family Guy on regular TV, with words like P****, V*****, etc.

I wish I had the answer and it's all very frightening from a parents point of view. All I want to do is raise my young girls to be educated strong women. I think relationships and sex complicated their life and makes them unfocused.

There's even groups on the internet that promote pedophelia - 'men who love boys' What's stopping us from running rampant where anything goes?