Internalise the Core Values of Humanity

Dec 5, 2003, 12.00am IST


Morality is neither an abstraction nor many-complexioned. There cannot be different sets of morality for politicians, business persons and bureaucrats. If such a difference is being accepted by most of us today, it is because we have been indifferent to the progressive deterioration of moral and ethical standards in the social order over the last half century.


Any moral code has to be applicable to all. "I never did, or countenanced, in public life", said Jefferson, "a single act inconsistent with the strictest good faith, having never believed there was one code of morality for a public and another for a private man".

That politics and morality are not compatible is a canard propagated deliberately by a few who have come to dominate public life. Through their dubious ways, they are distorting and redefining morality.

Just as bad money drives out good money, bad politicians have very nearly clear-ed the political arena of good politicians committed to moral or ideological principles and values. As a result, the entire social system and the environment is vitiated — resulting in widespread corruption and unethical behaviour.

There has been talk of framing some kind of moral/ethical code of conduct for politicians. But this assumes there is a need to evolve different codes of conduct for different people.

"What is morally wrong", said Gladstone, "cannot be politically right". It is only men of moral conviction and courage who can carry a country or community forward. Morality is a practical philosophy of life mirrored in a person’s everyday beha-viour and social interaction.

Basic values are eternal — truthfulness, integrity of character and propriety in thought and action. It simply means being cultured, gentle, unselfish, noble and liberal in dealing with others. Being moral is being a man of conscience.

We are all acutely conscious of our right to freedom. However, we have not evolved a corresponding awareness about the value of restraint and self-control. A freedom that is limitless has no meaning — there can be no right without a corresponding duty.

Also, a distinction needs to be made between freedom and licence. To have a conscience is to have the ability to understand this distinction.

Family, school and the prevailing environment play a crucial role in moulding and shaping an individual’s character and conscience. What we learn in our younger days becomes a permanent part of us. "Live as long as you may", wrote Southey, "the first twenty years are the longest half of your life."

Children instinctively know the right from the wrong. So adults need to set an example that validates this natural instinct. Anything which is anti-social or against the law is morally undesirable. The idea of sin, which has its origin in religion, is formulated to deter people from straying away from the right path.

Sex education and moral education may not be synonymous — but no moral education can be complete without adequate sex education thrown in. "Our civilisation", writes Will Durant, "has unwisely stimulated this sex impulse. Our ancestors played it down, knowing that it was strong enough without prodding. We have blown it up with a thousand forms of incitations — advertisement, emphasis and display — and armed it with the doctrine that inhibition is a mistake, whereas inhi-bition, the control of the impulse, is the first principle of civilisation".

We need to promote a relationship of understanding, dignity and mutual respect not only between the sexes but also between all people, governments and other forms of life.

Niti Paul Mehta