"What Is More Important In America: Wealth Or Morals?"
Submitted by naturalwomanLC on 06/30/2008 05:21 PM
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"What Is More Important In America: Wealth Or Morals?"
In 2003, is a person respected more for what they have or what they stand for? In agreement with Laurence Shames in "The More Factor," the ethic of decency has been upstaged by the ethic of success." Why this belief? The sole reason being in this society, one is considered accomplished if he/she can afford outlandishly expensive items rather than if he/she is an upstanding citizen.
Before this article begins to explore why money is more revered in this society, the definitions of a few words are necessary. According to Webster's Third World Dictionary, decency is defined as "the act of recognizing standards of prosperity and morality." In the next paragraph, prosperity will be defined, but for now, let's deal with morality. Morality is "a being in accord with the principles or standards of right conduct; virtue," according to the aforementioned dictionary. What are the principals of right conduct? Every child is taught right from wrong growing up: Do say "please" and "thank you"; don't be stingy. As that child matures, the differences between right and wrong become more distinct: Do hold the door for the person behind you; don't be disrespectful. The right conduct embodies being respectful always, using manners, putting someone else's need before yours, et cetera. Characteristics of the right conduct are many and differ for some people. For example, in Scotland, it's considered a compliment to burp at the dinner table. This tells the cook that the food was good. However, in the USA, to burp at the dinner table is considered gross and out of place. The variation in right conduct isn't really important. There are just certain ways a person is expected to behave. It is easy to distinguish right from wrong. There is this underlying principle that
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one is supposed to follow: Have morals. By following this principle, one is considered
humane, a decent person.
Furthermore, what is...
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