Morality Going Down the Drain

I watched a video in the early hours of today, and I must tell you that it was both disturbing and annoying. It left me with a concern about what the would be like in line with the things we see in our society and the world today. Somehow, the actions in the video line up well with the discourse in this prompt on the subject of moral decadence. This is a necessary conversation because we can say for sure that morality is steeply going down the drain.

The video captured an inter-house school event, which you would expect to see athletic and sports activities, right? This scene was of a teenager dancing and moving seductively. But that wasn't just it. She went beyond making those seductive moves all alone to performing some twerking moves on a man old enough to be her dad, who seems to be a special guest as she was seen placing something around his neck which seems to be an honour to a special guest.

Now, there's a lot to take from that video. Why would a school watch or condone such? Were there not parents who could have stepped in to stop that? What about the teachers, the onlookers, together with those who recorded it and cheered? Clearly, you see that several hands play a role in the gradual erosion of morality in society. The negligent parents, the carefree teachers, society－the observers who do or say nothing and those who cheer. Also, the great role played by social media.

Like the parents in that video who watched and did nothing, many parents are like-minded. They care less about what their children do. I've seen some of these parents. The truth is, the results aren't far-fetched from the moral decay we see today. I heard a woman where I live had boldly and publicly supported the fraudulent activities of her son, basically encouraging him to continue in them. This is where parenting fails. Parents shouldn't be irresponsible or too busy for their children.

Social spaces and experiences also play a role, of which school is a major one. Students are said to spend more time in school at the early to middle education stage. The school system then has a great role in shaping them and curtailing this issue of moral decay. They can help cultivate and instil good morals in them. Some schools and teachers care less or are constrained by some ordinances.

Society as a whole plays a huge role. There was a time when a child was everyone's business, for good. A child seen doing wrong is cautioned or punished to show it's wrong. I'm not saying it should be like that, but we can have this as a collective responsibility. Society had to be intentional about this issue. What we do and the things we promote as a people can be checked and addressed. Laws in place can also help to address this issue.

Social media has presented itself as a major tool. As a people, we should be mindful of our own actions and appearances, online and offline. Celebrities and influencers can be the tools for change or this moral degradation. Youths pick up a lot of things online, and in a bid to fit in, feel among, and find validation, they lose their morality. Social media is probably the most combustible element in moral decadence.

It's sad that morality has been made to look like an old-fashioned thing. However, beyond all the faults we can point our fingers at, everyone is responsible for themselves and their lives. There are people that had all the good upbringing but are morally lost. It boils down to our decisions, choices and will.

Images are AI generated.