Morality
I never commit myself on issues that involve morality. But, history is a witness to the trade-off affected between morality and human advancement. Every social advancement was led by an impeachment of an older moral order, not to speak of the economic and the technological developments that mowed over the weeds of morality with gay abandon.
But, society's doggedness to the moral sense is inexorable. I see three reasons for this. One, moral sense restrains the unruly spirits of men, which if left unbridled can lead to a social disorder. Two, one man's moral behaviour is in other man's interest, for self-abnegation is at the root of all ethics. Three, in treading a moral path, man shows his reverence for the past, which, to him, shall ever remain more glorious than his present.
Every great principle, over time, get cluttered with non-essentials and expended in valuing the redundant. We choose a bunch of morals from the ones planted by tradition amidst us and discount them as per our convenience. All our clamour about ethics and morals is mere exhibitionism. Let there be promise of pleasure and watch us get around the agony of making a moral choice to grab it with both hands.
But, interestingly, it was morality that caused hundreds of Rajput women to jump into the pyre before the groping hands of invaders could touch them. They were not career conscious women; all they knew was 'mortar and pestle'. They were devoted housewives and not aspiring for any worldly success. We cannot relate ourselves to their suicidal act. If life can be had in exchange for sexual favours, so be it. In today's world a lot more can be had for such favours. Why not nip this aspect of morality and go ahead with a social resurrection of women's inheritance to a life of pleasure that has been a preserve of men?
Self-assertion is the way of life now, and morality is a burial ground of all ambition and adventure. It may satisfy peace-lovers but not thrill-lovers. Moralities have to undergo a transformation, especially, sexual morality needs to be immediately replaced. A time in history which approximates the existing social order has to be studied. If it had proved a failure, we should intelligently eliminate the causes that led to such a failure. But, with all our intelligence if we cannot foresee the untoward, what then? There is nothing to prove that our social sense is in anyway better than our ancestors'. Can we run a risk of staking a generation's value system? Because once lost, it is lost forever.
The intrusion of society in the individual's life is not an intrusion but cultural care. A civil law cannot control our personal lives of 'intents and purposes'. It punishes a criminal breach of conduct. It cannot coerce a breach of attitude. A moral law does that.
(484 words)
But, society's doggedness to the moral sense is inexorable. I see three reasons for this. One, moral sense restrains the unruly spirits of men, which if left unbridled can lead to a social disorder. Two, one man's moral behaviour is in other man's interest, for self-abnegation is at the root of all ethics. Three, in treading a moral path, man shows his reverence for the past, which, to him, shall ever remain more glorious than his present.
Every great principle, over time, get cluttered with non-essentials and expended in valuing the redundant. We choose a bunch of morals from the ones planted by tradition amidst us and discount them as per our convenience. All our clamour about ethics and morals is mere exhibitionism. Let there be promise of pleasure and watch us get around the agony of making a moral choice to grab it with both hands.
But, interestingly, it was morality that caused hundreds of Rajput women to jump into the pyre before the groping hands of invaders could touch them. They were not career conscious women; all they knew was 'mortar and pestle'. They were devoted housewives and not aspiring for any worldly success. We cannot relate ourselves to their suicidal act. If life can be had in exchange for sexual favours, so be it. In today's world a lot more can be had for such favours. Why not nip this aspect of morality and go ahead with a social resurrection of women's inheritance to a life of pleasure that has been a preserve of men?
Self-assertion is the way of life now, and morality is a burial ground of all ambition and adventure. It may satisfy peace-lovers but not thrill-lovers. Moralities have to undergo a transformation, especially, sexual morality needs to be immediately replaced. A time in history which approximates the existing social order has to be studied. If it had proved a failure, we should intelligently eliminate the causes that led to such a failure. But, with all our intelligence if we cannot foresee the untoward, what then? There is nothing to prove that our social sense is in anyway better than our ancestors'. Can we run a risk of staking a generation's value system? Because once lost, it is lost forever.
The intrusion of society in the individual's life is not an intrusion but cultural care. A civil law cannot control our personal lives of 'intents and purposes'. It punishes a criminal breach of conduct. It cannot coerce a breach of attitude. A moral law does that.
(484 words)
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