Morality - Precious Yet Underrated

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Morals are certain qualities and values which an individual or a group acquires to differentiate between right and wrong. Moral Education is a system which imparts Moral principles, standards, habits and behavior. Moral Education is universally recognized as one of the key elements in contributing to national development. The wholesome purpose of education is to develop a sound mind in a sound body, to teach virtues of oneness, decency in public life, good manners and behaviour and so on. But when education is partial to Academic Achievements it lacking in making a Responsible Individual.

Moral Education is an ancient discipline. It's been existing long before there were educational institutes. People then knew it by the virtue of their ancestors, the importance of moral values. It was a permanent and prominent part of their life. Few years back majority of educational institutes used have moral education classes. Stories from great epics, fables and folk tales of the land were told and students were asked to tell the moral. The young impressionable mind was thus inspired by these and were in the process of disseminating what they had learned.

Relevance of Morals in Modern Times

In present times it seems as if most individuals either have no sense of morality or they just don't care. Humanity is still living under the aegis of racism, racialism, nationalism, and excessive and bloated patriotism. We have learned to manipulate the universe, to ward off the threats of nature, to battle plagues, and to protect itself from invaders but the conflicts arising out of greed, poverty, selfishness have not been conquered.

This has led to the evolution of the self-seeking politician, the corrupt, the mercenary journalist, the heinous cop and their ilk in all walks of life. GET RICH has become the latest Motto. Everything, including education, has been adapted to achieve this.The altar of success has led to the sacrifice of all else with few exceptions, of course. The goal of education is defeated when it is used to cosmetically furnish the minds to produce doctors and engineers and ignore the sense of right, duty, honour, love of God and humanity. An age has evolved and is flourishing where there is a compulsion to to acquire top grades, precious time cannot be wasted on stories and their morals. And then there certain secular individuals who see danger in everything religious. A breed also exists who do not believe that moral progress is a possibility

There is a great need for moral rehabilitation and moral consciousness. The world has witnessed many wars, battles on the basis of caste, creed and colour. It is lack of a global understanding that stops mankind from living together. Global understanding and mutual brotherhood is attainable only when children are taught values like universal brotherhood, faith in one God, not to find fault in others and one mankind at an early age. It is high time people realised the need of the hour and restore back the past glory of mother earth and its pristine purity. Only moral education would lead us to attain our ultimate goal of peace on earth. At one hand morality might not be The Happening thing right now but on the other All Is Not Lost as there are those who are approaching this ever-thorny subject in innovative ways. A worldwide moral transformation is an absolute necessity if we are to ensure a vibrant and viable future for human life and stability of societies of the future.

Effects of Lack or Absence of Moral Education

• Qualities like tolerance, good conduct in general, tendency of cooperation, love for justice and obedience are some of the aspects of humanity which are essential for a peaceful society all over. The lack of these results in such people who have been responsible for destruction of property and mass killing of innocent people. The Two World Wars are huge examples. As of today, such a situation can arise if there is lack of moral education.

• Vandalism, violence, greed, selfishness, stealing, cheating, disrespect for authority and the laws of the land, peer cruelty and upsurge in sexual precocity (premature involvement in sexual activities) prostitution, drugs, and other self-destructive behaviors have become rampant in many parts of the world.

• Corruption, exploitation, merciless killings, terrorism, casteism, communalism, pollution, global unrest and mutual hatred have evolved and developed in so many forms. Man, machine and money have become the new morals of the modern world. There is a moral crisis worldwide

Steps / Suggestions for Inculcating and Developing Moral Values

Parents Role - A child should be taught at an early age, about the various golden moral values and virtues. Moral and spiritual values should be infused in a child. He should be taught to differentiate between right and wrong and which value to put into practice at what point of time. All these values will adorn the bright and glittering personality of a child. The child will be all set and prepared to face the right and wrong of the world and to eradicate all evils right from the roots. Such bold personalities will help in establishing a peaceful and prosperous world.

Role of Schools - Moral education, ideally, should give the children a ready set of values, of rights and wrongs, at the school level. As they become young adults, education should fortify their faculty of discrimination, of judgment. They don't need packaged wisdom, but they should be equipped to make the right choices. Further, they should be given lessons in emotional education, so that they are enabled to face the stark realities of life with toughness. There are always people who feel that these things cannot be taught.

Role of Other Educational Institutes - Moral education for everyone is vital. Colleges, Universities etc. can take care of this aspect. Just like the study of language and literature, humanities and pure mathematics, morality can be taught and extra facilities can be given to those who pursue it along with their academics.

Role of other Individuals - Moral literacy and good character formation instructions to the youths will be effective if the political leaders, parents, teachers, and other role models in the society practice and demonstrate good citizenship, by doing what is morally right.

Role of Media - All means of media should and can empower people with appropriate knowledge, skills, values and attitudes which is beneficial for mankind.