Our views and beliefs have significantly changed over the last few decades as ethical codes became more prominent in society. One changed belief system which could be highlighted as one of the most critical ones is society’s attitude towards racially regarded issues. In the 21st century, racism is considered a serious issue that has caused many protests and outrageous reactions all over the world. However, over 60 years ago, in the 1960s, the issue was not even presented as an urgent problem to be dealt with. Instead, social values were oriented towards a less tolerant system of beliefs since justice as a moral principle did not play an essential role in the lives of the privileged. The socio-economic system favored exclusive ethnic groups, while the contemporary necessary moral principles were less prominent.
The 1960s can be regarded as a period that demanded essential change, with events such as the Civil War. On the other hand, the necessary actions towards ensuring a less prejudiced society were only beginning to form. In the 1960s, public school desegregation became popularized as the central values among the nation started to shift (Bartz, 2019). At the time, it was challenging to express one’s discontent with the country’s political state. Contrary to the 1960s, 2021 included grand demonstrations against popular racist events, all of which proceeded with thousands of protestors. In the end, it is evident that the general attitudes towards racism have evolved to encourage more equality. If the 1960s included a period of time with new controversial changes, now the same values regarding race seem normalized and standard. In this way, racially motivated behaviors have significantly changed over the last decades, as a society finally accepted relevant expectations.
References
Bartz, D. E. (2019). Racism, the white power structure, and the tragic history of the education of African American children in the United States. Schooling 10 (1), 1-9.