Morality is an ever changing variable in human society. It has morphed throughout time, and every society’s morals define their century. Morality itself is how an individual views an action with regard to whether it is morally good, morally bad, or somewhere in the middle. Individuals can determine whether they think something is good or bad, but this freedom is easily manipulated. Outside forces can use different propaganda techniques to nudge an individual to think something is good, or bad. This became more and more prevalent in the 20th century. In the 20th century new technologies were created, and two huge wars were fought. These events changed people’s viewpoints on a vast range of topics, and therefore morality. For example, since …show more content…
In the 20th century, morality morphed to become more directly influenced by the rule of the state, the prosperity of an individual or a society, and the happiness of an individual or a society. In the 20th century, the state had a much stronger grip on the individual, and therefore morality, because of the need to be united. Two world wars were fought in the 20th century, causing an increase in the popularity of a stronger central government to protect the people. There was an elevated sense of allegiance to one’s nation. This nationalism was especially prevalent in Nazi Germany. The Nazi Conspiracy and Aggression Volume IV: Document No. 1708-PS states that “The activity of individuals is not to counteract the interests of the universality, but must have its result within the framework of the whole for the benefit of all”. The state essentially had control over the actions of individuals, so consequently the state had control over how an individual manifested their morality. If an individual thought something was wrong, but the state did not agree with that individual’s viewpoint, there was no way that they could express it to others without breaking …show more content…
A good example of this is in Watchmen when the vigilante Rorschach notices that “On friday night a comedian died in New York . . . nobody cares, nobody cares but me”. This “comedian” was actually Edward Blake, a member of the Watchmen superhero group. His death was of little significance to New York, where he and the other Watchmen live, even though it was a murder. A little while later, Dr. Manhattan leaves Earth for Mars after being accused of giving cancer to his friends and lovers. This draws much more attention though, because it weakens the United States’ defense, since Dr. Manhattan was crucial because of his godlike abilities. The distress of the society is best expressed by a government employee who says “The linchpin of America’s strategic superiority has apparently gone to mars!”. Since this event more directly threatens the happiness and safety of the society, there is more press coverage and attention given to this absence instead of Blake’s murder. Alan Moore adds this dilemma into the novel to raise questions about the importance of what 20th century societies deem more fitting of
In 2014 the United States had a poverty level of 14.8%. (US Census Bureau) Mexico had 53.2% of its population living in poverty that same year. (World Bank Data) The United States poverty line was $11,670 a year, while Mexico’s was 2,542.13 pesos which transfers to 1,667.76 US dollars annually. As economics shows, the US as a whole has a completely different view of poverty. Americans naturally acquire the idea that no one could possibly be pleased with the conditions several Hispanic’s endure. When I traveled to Kantunilkín, Mexico in 2012 for a Mission trip my prospective as an American changed. We take note of poor living conditions, run down houses, and the lack of large quantities of food. However, once you have experienced the life of
Some Americans lost their morality when it came to the prohibition of alcohol, how much money they had and those that were involved with adultery. The prohibition act, wealth and adultery were three main issues that effected most people in Americas thoughts towards what is right and what is wrong as it involved people in illegal acts, become less loyal and selfish. The life in 1920’s America shows that morality was very insignificant and people were doing things that would only benefit them and their close
The source intends to provide a controversial opinion in order to prevent people from blindly following leaders as well as to provide a statement warning of the acts of nationalism. While the views from the source are beneficial and introduce different views on the subject of nationalism—nationalism doesn’t start wars nor does it lead to blind obedience; greedy and power hungry people who decidedly hind behind the views of nationalism do. Nationalism is just a term that describes the desire for the prosperity of one’s country as well as patriotic feelings towards said country. Feelings of pride for a country do not evoke malicious intent the people who twist those ideas and cross the line into ultranationalism do. Leaders such as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Hirohito, and Harry Truman use the word nationalism to persuade others to follow them by glamorizing the term and tricking people into agreeing with them. The Holocaust wasn’t caused due to
Propaganda speech Propaganda is information, it is especially biased or misleading, and propaganda has and is still being used everywhere, in posters, billboards, newspapers, radio stations, without you even knowing it. It is used to promote a particular view, but it is usually one-sided and can stray from the real truth. It can also influence people’s decisions or opinions on things. “Did you know that Propaganda was especially used in World War 1 and World War 2”, it was used to promote negative things about other opposition countries, which most of time was not true, In Britain in World War 1 newspapers were expected to print what the government wanted the reader to believe, even though the posters should have been
What happens when morality is thrown away and forgotten by future generations? In the 1920’s, America was still recovering from World War I. Many young men died in WWI, and many who survived the war were suffering from PTSD. They could not escape their own minds which were their own jails. With the recovery from the war, people had a new sense of living while they were young. They pursued drinking, sex, and other pleasures that were originally biblically and morally viewed as wrong, but it was all changing. Sheila Liming saw this change and argued, “The post-war years saw the banishment of the Victorian hourglass archetype - a move which, on the surface, appears consistent with the logic of female emancipation, and with multi-national fights for women’s suffrage during this period” (Liming 109). She clearly stated the change throughout the generations. What caused this change? Because of the horrors of WWI, women in the 1920s rejected the moral codes of the previous generations by embracing hedonism and pursuing gender equality. This resulted in the wide acceptance of women
Nationalism is the ideology based on the foundation that the individual’s loyalty and devotion to the selected nation is more important than other individual or group interests. There are many things that people are able to relate to and identify as being that can include; their culture, homeland, family, and/or religion. There is naturally a strong loyalty towards the place people were raised. However, that tends to bring enemies too because not everyone is born in the same place and it tends to bring competition on which place it better bringing rift to all around. Even though with all of the negatives that come with strong nationalism, I believe nationalism brings more good than bad in Europe, Japan, Russia, the United States.
Friedrich Nietzsche’s “On the Genealogy of Morality” includes his theory on man’s development of “bad conscience.” Nietzsche believes that when transitioning from a free-roaming individual to a member of a community, man had to suppress his “will to power,” his natural “instinct of freedom”(59). The governing community threatened its members with punishment for violation of its laws, its “morality of customs,” thereby creating a uniform and predictable man (36). With fear of punishment curtailing his behavior, man was no longer allowed the freedom to indulge his every instinct. He turned his aggressive focus inward, became ashamed of his natural animal instincts, judged himself as inherently evil, and developed a bad conscience (46).
Nationalism was formed with the idea that a nation is made up of people who are joined together by common language, customs, cultures and history. It held the belief that one should be loyal to the people of their nation, not a king or empire. Nationalists believed that people of a single nationality should unite under a single government. The concept of Nationalism emerged in the French Revolution and was spread to the rest of Europe by Napoleon’s conquests.
However, nationalism does not have one single definition, its meaning has evolved as society changes and modernises. Nationalism can “...refer to any behaviour designed to restore, maintain, or advance public images of that national community” (Gries, 2005:9). By the mid-1960s there were two main proposals to understanding nationalism. “In the first, nationalism was an aspect of national history, a sentiment associated with the nation...In the second approach, nationalism was a modern, irrational doctrine which could acquire sufficient power...to generate nationalists sentiments and even nation states” (Gellner, 2008:xx). Nationalism is defined differently by different schools of thought and theorists.
Nationalism, a political or social philosophy in which the prosperity of a nation-state as an existence is considered supreme or more important than anything else. The primary duty and loyalty should be toward the nation-state. The love for one's country often reflected dominance and power as people were able to unite toward common good. Furthermore, republic governments were reestablished a result of Nationalism.
Nationalism has played a crucial role in world history over the past centuries. It continues to do so today. For many, nationalism is indelibly associated with some of the worst aspects of modern history, such as the destructive confidence of the Napoleon’s army and the murderous pride of Nazi Germany. Large numbers of people, descent in their hearts, have carried out unbelievable atrocities for no better reason than their nation required them to. Authoritarian and totalitarian regime have crushed dissent, eliminated opposition, and trampled on civil liberties in the name of the nation.
Since the inception of this mode of research, peoples’ perception of what constitutes moral behavior
Newsstands proclaim it. Talk shows trumpet it. Scandal, murder, and deception! People share a common disdain for these evils, scorning those who commit the dirty deeds. Laws are upheld to prevent people from doing “bad” things, but how do people come to an agreement on what is truly wrong? Even as society moves away from traditional teachings and perspectives, many acts are still universally looked down upon. Throughout history, the majority of civilizations have held surprisingly similar moral ideals regarding acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Although moral relativists believe that morality is individually determined, there is, in fact, an objective moral standard that governs all humanity, because a sense of right and wrong is universal, transcends time and culture, and is evident in the majority of people.
James Rachels' article, "Morality is Not Relative," is incorrect, he provides arguments that cannot logically be applied or have no bearing on the statement of contention. His argument, seems to favor some of the ideas set forth in cultural relativism, but he has issues with other parts that make cultural relativism what it is.
When we are young our morality is shaped as we learn from our family and the environment. “Psychologists say a child must develop a sense of values by the age of seven to become an adult with a conscience” (Rosenstand 4). Children experience a plethora of information and subsequently build their personalities based on what they learn from growing up in their given culture. We are a product of our environment in the sense that we