Public Morality

Those of us who occasionally glance at the major topics appearing in the press, will not have failed to note that at present three Royal Commissions are sitting at the same time, each one examining a different matter of major public interest. They all are investigating the presumed misbehaviour of people who held or are holding high office in our Society. In addition, the ICAC is separately investigating political figures in our state for similar reasons.

People such as the above are being expected to be honest and upright persons; in fact to be role models for the general population, more so for the younger generation. Instead one sees these people to have descended to a level so low in terms of behaviour and morality, that it defies belief. However, the answer lies not that far away, and can be easily found by a thinking person.

So, what has led to the creation of a social environment we are facing at present? Years ago, our legislators decided that a young person at age 16 was an independent person, and his parents can have no control over him. He was allowed to vote, marry and start drinking at age 18. Hotels and drinking holes were allowed to remain open till 3 am, and at that time only the young could stay up so late. Divorce became commonplace, because the law made it so much easier than before, whilst the concepts of duty, shame and respect, lost all meaning, mostly on demand from the parents on the teachers to ease up on them!

With such an onslaught on moral values by the citizens, is it any wonder that we produced the type of people described above? Their motive is material wealth, fame, power, self-satisfaction, political survival and political power – at all costs – “whatever it takes!” – rather than the good of the Country and its people.

Return to morality, personal responsibility, honesty and Faith – is the only way left to us, if we are to avoid self-destruction. Many will balk at such a suggestion: “return to the bad old days!” they will cry, only to find out, in the not too distant future, that virtue knows no defeat and God always prevails over human frailty!

Source: June-July 2014 Lychnos Edition