Moral values are a large concept that researchers have experienced a difficult time defining. Scientists have explained moral values as the fundamental human emotions or reactions and experiences that drive individuals in distinctive ways (Aminin et al., 2018). Some that I think are definitive of a life well lived include respect, honesty, respect for religion, and justice. With this arrangement, an individual can grow mentally and academically, learning every aspect of socialization ranging from society, education, and work.
Respect is a moral value that is taught to children at a young age. It is trained to help them have a fulfilling social life with their peers, people older than them, and their teachers. Respect is an essential moral aspect as, in a way, it assists individuals to avoid trouble and formulate ways to solve conflicts. I ranked it as the first moral value as I feel it positively impacts an individual during their youthful stage.
Honesty is a moral thing always to be honest, but honesty can land one in trouble. There have been cases of innocent people being incarcerated for other people’s wrongdoings. When viewed from a socialization aspect, honesty can help one gain respect from their elders, which guarantees a prosperous life. When one learns this aspect at an early age, it can help acquire good grades in school and help with a job promotion in the work setting.
Religion depicts the type of values individuals hold, and as people grow, they adopt their own beliefs while others divert from their older religion. All people are equal regardless of their religion, and this teaches individuals to respect different religious beliefs, which is morally upright. Over the years, other faiths have risen, and people have created laws that allow a citizen the right to choose their religion.
Justice value was supposed to be incorporated into the list since there would be no law and order without justice. When one speaks up on wrongdoing, a disaster is prevented, enhancing peaceful interactions between different people. With justice, individuals can uphold their moral values, and there are few or no instances of theft and other harmful behaviors. Justice controls harmonious interactions between individuals and their surroundings.
Without proper education on moral values, people develop moral vices that, on many occasions, are not accepted in society. I ranked the vices as follows, fear, arrogance, envy, greed, and bias. When fear is induced in an individual, it can make irrational decisions that eventually get them in danger. Fear is a vice that is unacceptable to society as it can cause damage (Spiegel, 2020). Still, when an individual or organization is fearless, they make rational decisions that enable them to progress. Fear creates failure to act in agreement with our values when faced with harmful circumstances.
Too much pride causes arrogance, and this happens when individuals become so much proud of their achievements. This makes individuals believe that they are better and superior to the rest which can result in their downfall or lead them to dangerous situations. People who tend to be arrogant are often seen as boastful by others, which creates a negative picture in society and, on some occasions, can be left out in development projects.
Individuals who desire what others have are usually termed envious. Persons can end up stealing with envious behaviors, which is why this is one of my top-ranked vices. People should congratulate others for their success, but envious ones tend to be jealous of others’ achievements. This leads them to become dissatisfied with the little they have, leading to unwanted behaviors. Envy is not ranked as a capital sin, but still, it is an unacceptable vice.
Greed makes people add their material possessions, and this can be through unwanted ways. A good example is the politicians who enjoy the privileges that come with the ranks and are unwilling to give up. Greedy leaders take advantage of the subordinate staff or the locals while gaining material possessions, and they are never satisfied with what they have. This is one of the most hated vices in society and has been adopted by many leaders.
Biasness, in many instances, is associated with envy and greed from a different point of view. The unfair preference for one thing over another can be harmful to individuals upholding moral virtues. This occasionally happens in the justice system when the law enforcers are biased toward one race or gender. This is a vice that should be condemned in the judicial systems internationally as it causes wrongful accusations and suffering.
In conclusion, moral values and vices are correlated because if one lacks values, they adopt vices. Caregivers and parents play a major role in determining the morals their kids will adopt in life. I arranged these morals and vices in this order as I felt that they were connected in one way or another in upholding ethics that define a well-lived life.
References
Aminin, S., Huda, M., Ninsiana, W., & Dacholfany, M. I. (2018). Sustaining civic-based moral values: Insights from language learning and literature. International Journal of Civil Engineering and Technology, 9(4), 157-174.
Spiegel, J. S. (2020). Hypocrisy: Moral fraud and other vices. Wipf and Stock Publishers.