Greetings, friends!
Morality is one of the main characteristics of a person. A person needs it to form a strong character, develop responsibility, decency, honesty and self-control. Of course, these qualities can be purposefully developed, regardless of the level of morality. But to achieve the best results, a strong foundation is essential. Today we will analyze in detail what morality is, what significance it has in life and whether it can be developed.
What is morality?
Morality is a set of internal values and principles that guide us when performing actions and comprehending them in the future. It determines how a person perceives humanistic values and how much he strives to adhere to them. Unlike morality, which is a form of social knowledge, morality is of a purely individual nature. However, it cannot be denied that it is formed under the influence of external circumstances.
At the same time, morality cannot be considered in isolation from morality. At the same time, it is important to distinguish between these concepts, since they are very close, and the difference between them has always been a subject of debate for philosophers. In colloquial speech, these words are often used as synonyms, but from a philosophical point of view, morality differs from morality in that it is aimed at assessing one’s internal qualities, internal reaction to thoughts and actions.
Morality is determined by social norms, it is relative, depending on the environment and situation. Morality is an individual personality trait; for a particular person it is absolute and does not depend on circumstances. It can be considered as the internal side of morality, which we form only for ourselves and by which we evaluate our own actions.
The origin of the word helps us better understand what morality is. It is derived from the Russian word “nrav”. The etymology of the term emphasizes that it is something that comes from within - from the character of a person. However, in colloquial speech morality is often identified with morality, which implies adherence to generally accepted norms of behavior.
General definition
The definition of morality appeared in our language in 1789 in the dictionary of the Russian Academy.
Essentially, it is a set of attitudes, values, internal norms and rules that determine a person’s behavior in a given situation.
These values are based on the ideas of justice, honor, dignity, compassion, kindness, honesty, peacefulness and other “good” categories.
A person absorbs all these concepts from childhood along with his mother’s milk, that is, he acquires them in the family circle, then among friends, teachers and other significant adults. In other words, it acquires in the process of socialization.
Morality is something that is instilled in a person through education.
In this regard, its level may differ for different individuals depending on what kind of people raised them. An evil mother is unlikely to teach a child to be sacrificial and patient with others, and an honest one is unlikely to teach her to steal.
The main components of morality
The concept of morality usually includes the basic positive qualities of a person: kindness, honesty, decency, responsibility, compassion, generosity, hard work, reliability, etc. For each person, the set of components may be different. For example, a Christian places above all else the 10 commandments dictated by his faith. Representatives of other religions adhere to their own moral principles.
For many people, the most desirable components of morality are determined by their main occupation. For example, a firefighter must be brave and selfless, a law enforcement officer must be honest and principled, and a judge must be decent and fair.
Moreover, morality is very subjective. Many things that are acceptable to some people seem completely immoral and immoral to others. For example, supporters of hedonism believe that every person should get the maximum pleasure from life. This contradicts the principles of religious people, and they will certainly reproach the hedonist for immorality.
People with conservative views have an extremely negative attitude towards civil marriage and other manifestations of freedom in personal relationships. At the same time, they confuse the concepts of morality and ethics, calling the liberated behavior of modern youth immoral only because it is unacceptable from their personal point of view.
How to instill moral values in a child?
Every parent strives to raise their children to be good people, to develop the best traits in them: kindness, sincerity, decency, altruism. The list of qualities can be continued for a long time, but they are all laid down as a result of upbringing. Instilling values in children can be very difficult. Most moral topics are complex and controversial, so we need to talk about them constantly.
The range of moral problems is wide: from problems with friends or teachers to behavior on social networks. There are different types of activities that can be used to help instill the right values in your child:
Personal example.
Psychologists say that children do not hear, but they see and copy. Therefore, it is impossible to instill something in a child by force or by beliefs alone. If a child finds himself in a difficult situation, he acts exactly the same as the parent does. Therefore, the most effective pedagogical technique is the personal example of parents. This is something that can be taught to children without too much talk.
Conversations instead of sermons.
Schools are planning to introduce moral education lessons. But teachers believe that no government agency can replace a conversation between loving and competent parents. Children are more receptive to information received through discussion rather than through orders or instructions. Therefore, in a conversation you need to simultaneously act as an authority and a friend, but you should not allow a patronizing tone.
Discussions instead of lectures.
The child is constantly learning and absorbs huge amounts of information. Therefore, what evokes vivid emotions is best remembered. The ability to start and maintain a discussion on the desired topic, to make the discussion bright and exciting is a valuable skill of a parent. But don't say too much. It is better to stir up interest in the topic with short leading questions “Why” and “Why?”
Cooperative games.
An ordinary children's game can become not just fun, but a serious school of morality. In a collective game, a child has to communicate, cooperate, argue, negotiate with other players and thereby learn to overcome his egocentrism. Thus, gradually the idea of justice is born in children, moral principles are created, which then develop into moral values.
How is morality demonstrated?
A person who is guided by morality in his actions is usually said to act according to his conscience. That is, one of the key manifestations of morality is to treat others responsibly and fairly, without infringing on them in any way for the sake of one’s own self-interest.
Many try to act according to their conscience for religious reasons, hoping that in this way they will save their soul. This approach can hardly be called unselfish, but unselfishness is one of the main manifestations of morality. However, it is religion that for many people is the main incentive to form the right views and ideals.
From the point of view of evolution, morality is one of the most important mechanisms that ensure the survival and development of the human race. This is a property of an individual that plays a huge role for the whole society. It is morality that motivates people to support each other, and if it were not there, humanity would eradicate itself. Any intentional crimes are committed by immoral people. At the same time, to others they may well look like highly moral individuals.
Taking into account the above, the well-being of each individual society and humanity as a whole depends on the level of morality of people. Morality cannot solve this problem, since it implies external assessment. A person guided by morality always acts in such a way that others will appreciate his action. The one who is guided by morality does not need the assessments of others, but evaluates his own actions.
What concepts belong to the categories of morality?
Ethics, morality and ethics are interconnected concepts. If a person is not guided by the rules accepted in society, one cannot talk about morality. Ethics are politeness, tact, intelligence, and respect for other people. A moral person must be familiar with at least the basic principles of ethics.
In addition, behavior should be the norm, a habit. Of course, at first a person can force himself to act as the rules dictate. But later they will take hold. Therefore, children are taught from an early age to say hello, say words of gratitude, respect elders, and value work.
Aristotle said that ethics is the ability to restrain the impulses of the soul. A person cannot be guided by impulses, express anger, aggression, hatred, if he is a moral person.
In general, the word “ethics” is of Greek origin. This is a synonym for morality in the Slavic understanding. The concept of “morality” appeared later. This is how Cicero translated the word “ethics”. He also denoted to them the properties and character of a person. Many articles are devoted to this issue.
We recommend: what is the difference between morality and ethics?
Psychologists say that all three words are synonymous and do not exclude each other. If we talk about a highly moral person, we mean a moral, educated person who lives according to the rules of ethics.
In general, we can talk about morality only taking into account all the social norms that a person must adhere to. These are his moral duties. There will be no punishment for non-compliance. No one will receive a real sentence, for example, for not respecting elders or not maintaining relationships with relatives. But such a person will face pangs of conscience and condemnation from society. These are sanctions for violating generally accepted rules.
The history of the emergence of morality
It is believed that the first manifestations of morality appeared among primitive people. To live in society, they had to confront their own animal instincts. At the same time, morality was also formed, since the first people needed to behave in such a way as to achieve approval and gain a certain status in their tribe. But if moral standards were developed jointly, and their observance was monitored, then morality was the personal guideline of each individual person.
In the modern world, moral standards also remain a personal matter for each person. The state monitors compliance with the law and punishes criminals; society condemns people who deviate from moral standards. But you need to monitor morality yourself. The only external institution that supports moral behavior is the church. But as we found out above, the desire to be “pure” from the point of view of one’s faith is not always quite selfless.
However, many people sincerely strive to adhere to the rules dictated by their religion. So in Christianity there are 10 commandments that prescribe moral behavior for a person. Like many other religions, Christianity has the so-called “Golden Rule of Morality.” The most common formulation is: “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” This principle is found in philosophical works and in many literary works.
The meaning of morality
It is impossible to overestimate the importance of morality, since it is a fundamental personality trait, which is the foundation for the formation of a strong and strong character. Its presence is a sign of a person with a healthy psyche and a high level of cognitive abilities, who is able to take a worthy place in society and live in harmony with others. A moral person, as a rule, is happier in his personal life and makes those close to him happy.
Morality helps a person find a reasonable balance between sacrifice and selfishness. Moral-oriented individuals, in contrast to ego-oriented ones, have a higher level of civic consciousness. This guarantees them the opportunity to take a worthy place in society, since it ensures comfortable coexistence with other people.
How to develop morality?
Research shows that morality is formed in childhood. Its foundation is laid by the age of 7, and by 16 it is fully developed. This does not mean that an adult cannot influence his own moral development. He may well improve, instill in himself new principles and strictly adhere to them. However, for him they will be more moral than ethical.
Morality needs to be developed at an early age, so children need to be provided with the appropriate conditions for this. It is obvious that every responsible parent tries to instill in their child certain traits of moral behavior: honesty, responsibility, sincerity, decency and other generally recognized human values.
Despite efforts, not everyone succeeds, since parents themselves often misunderstand what morality is and try to impose their views on their children using incorrect or even unacceptable methods. Let's consider several correct approaches that will help develop morality in a child.
Personal example
In the practice of psychologists, a situation often occurs when a person has some inexplicable habit, about which he cannot say exactly where it came from. This could be an unusual way to prepare a certain dish or a strange sequence of actions in completely familiar activities. Subsequently, it often turns out that this habit was passed on to a person from his parents, but he himself did not even know about it.
Children adopt many aspects of their behavior from adults. And if you want to instill morality in your child, try to always behave appropriately in his presence. This is an effective pedagogical technique that provides a more reliable result than any persuasion or punishment.
Friendly conversation
Children react negatively to any moral teaching. They may agree, but only in order to quickly end the unpleasant conversation, because for a child any moral pressure is unbearable. At the same time, children perceive and remember very well the information they receive during an interesting, friendly conversation. Replace instructions and reproaches with advice, and the child will listen to you much more attentively.
Discussion with a joint search for truth
An excellent way of learning that ensures lasting retention of information is to independently search for the answer or find it in the process of discussion. Therefore, if you want to instill in your child some moral trait, try to make sure that he himself understands its importance. You can give an example from life and whet his interest with leading questions.
Educational games
Children's love of games is a powerful development mechanism provided by nature. So why not use it for its intended purpose? It is through games that children usually learn to interact with other people. And it is in games that it is best to instill in them such important aspects of morality as honesty, responsibility and justice. By looking at the reactions of other players, the child learns to think about those around him, overcoming his innate egocentric perception.
Reading
Not only children's fairy tales, but also quite adult literary works show the bad and good deeds of the characters, inviting the reader to draw the necessary conclusions for himself. Therefore, reading books helps children understand which actions are moral and which are not.
Developing morality in a child is not so difficult; the main thing is to pay attention to the little things that we have considered. It is also important to always let your child speak out, so that he realizes the value of his opinion for others and values it more himself. In the future, he will attach more importance to his own thoughts, which is important for the development of morality.
The connection between morality and human spirituality
In order to most clearly understand what morality is, let's give a definition of spirituality.
The most general definition of spirituality sounds like this . Spirituality is the highest level of self-development, at which the highest human values become the regulator of life. Thus, spirituality is closely interconnected with morality. Morality is an indicator of the degree of spirituality of a person and society as a whole.
For the last 200 years, there has been a debate among humanities scholars on the topic of spirituality. Some argue that this is a person’s internal movement towards the “spiritual self,” others associate spirituality with intangible values that a person strives for, overcoming experiences and intrapersonal struggle.
Religions connect spirituality with the higher forces of divine nature, which manifests itself in human actions. However, all philosophers and theologians agree on one thing - spirituality is transcendental. It cannot be touched, weighed, measured. This is something that is not amenable to experimental knowledge, but is accepted a priori.
Spirituality is the brightest thing that can be found in a person: the best qualities of character, sincere feelings (love, gratitude, selflessness, tolerance), talents, generosity, responsibility.
Spiritual beauty is manifested in actions, behavior, emotions, words. However, there have been hundreds of such people since the time when man began to recognize himself as a Human and learned to use the brain not only for obtaining food and reproduction, but also for thinking.
Morality indicates the direction vector and provides the conditions for upward movement under which a person can grow and develop at the greatest speed.
