Whatever happened to virtue and morality?

[funspirit]

Maybe its just me, but I feel like traits such as these seem to have fallen by the wayside in our society. And what about humility? It seems like someone isn't "great" unless their press agent is telling you just how great they are. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough, or maybe I've become numbed by the sensationalism running rampant in our world. Does anyone actually think that any of our last few presidents have been virtuous men? Shouldn't they be?

 

[MsMuffet]

I am thinking this is a topic which makes a lot of us uncomfortable... perhaps why it is getting overlooked?

 

[funspirit]

why do you think it makes people uncomfortable? I was starting to think it was me....

 

[Xander]

Maybe its just me, but I feel like traits such as these seem to have fallen by the wayside in our society. And what about humility? It seems like someone isn't "great" unless their press agent is telling you just how great they are. Maybe I'm just not looking hard enough, or maybe I've become numbed by the sensationalism running rampant in our world. Does anyone actually think that any of our last few presidents have been virtuous men? Shouldn't they be?

You're right.
And what about honor. That whole concept seem to something you can buy of the shelves of Wall-Mart these days. And just as easily discarded when needed to.

 

[Uber Sparky]

By virtue of my own humility....

I hereby declare....

there are no marals, only personal interpretations of theoretical 'ideals' - most of us simply label morals.

You act, you do, you are - what you have been taught.

And that is all.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

politics certainly doesn't attract people who you would call 'virtuous'. You can't win unless you lie, cheat, and slander your opponents, and the media certainly plays along. Just look at what they did to Gore, probably the most upright politician we are likely to ever see.

The media in general seems to be a huge problem. It glorifies style over substance, violence over compromise.

 

[MsMuffet]

Originally quoted by funspirit
why do you think it makes people uncomfortable? I was starting to think it was me....



Sweetheart,

Speaking for myself, my hanging here is not representative of MY virtue OR morality... and yet, I show my face.

As for our last few presidents... look further into history. Were there many with those traits at all?

I cannot judge, nor be judged. I am not humble, but I am happy. I enjoy life, and I am proud of the things I have done. I have learned from my mistakes and try to use common sense to the best of by God-given ability when approaching potential new ones.

It is not you... it is merely a question that makes one think.

 

[Guest]

Yeah, exactly.

fucking-anal-sex-video-01.mpg

 

[funspirit]

it seems that someone can merely say something and it becomes true. Like Bush saying he cares about the environment while at the same time he repeals every environmental regulation on the books and even tries to open public land for mining..... aye carumba

 

[grrrly]

it seems that someone can merely say something and it becomes true. Like Bush saying he cares about the environment while at the same time he repeals every environmental regulation on the books and even tries to open public land for mining..... aye carumba

absolute power corrupts absolutly

 

[funspirit]

I hear what you are saying msmuffet, and I dont think that sex and erotica are in any way unvirtuous or amoral. Its the lying that sometimes occurs that is wrong.

 

[MsMuffet]

I hear what you are saying msmuffet, and I dont think that sex and erotica are in any way unvirtuous or amoral. Its the lying that sometimes occurs that is wrong.

Ahh and I was so careful about choosing my words....

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

it seems that someone can merely say something and it becomes true. Like Bush saying he cares about the environment while at the same time he repeals every environmental regulation on the books and even tries to open public land for mining..... aye carumba

This is part of the new media environment. It is enough for Bush to carry the right message; no longer does anyone have to back their words with actions.

 

[Cuckolded_BlK_Male]

Virtue and morality were never the defining character of this country. It's just a lie that White people tell themselves for reasons I can't fathom. The Puritans knowingly fabricated stories in order to have other people murdered. The amorality of the ethnic cleansing and attempted genocide of the Native Americans, the rape murder and human bondage of the African slave trade, segregation, the internment of Japanese Americans during WWII, et. al. is indefensible. Thomas Jefferson, who wrote so eloquently of liberty, was a lecherous ephebophile who routinely raped his wife's minor half-sister who, herself, was denied all liberty. If not most, then a good number of U.S. Presidents had mistresses while they were in office. J. Edgar Hoover was a flaming Queen who lived with his lover for years, and yet persecuted other homosexuals. The gloriously moral and virtuous history that many Americans claim, despite all scholarly evidence to the contrary, is as fictitious as Uncle Sam's red-white-and-blue stovepipe hat.

The only difference between the recent Presidents and the mythologized figures of U.S. history is that we now live in an unprecedented age of information. Thus, their dirty little secrets are harder to keep hidden.

 

[funspirit]

I agree cockholded- I think that our media today paints a terribly one-sided picture of America as well. I merely used the last few presidents as an example because we elected them.

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

I agree cockholded- I think that our media today paints a terribly one-sided picture of America as well. I merely used the last few presidents as an example because we elected them.

Well...except for Bush, who was $elected by teh Supreme Court. I know I'll prolly get flamed for speaking the truth, but oh well..

 

[Unclebill]

Originally posted by Johnny Mayberry
... Just look at what they did to Gore, probably the most upright politician we are likely to ever see....

This is so utterly ridiculous it's actually funny to say the media did something to Gore, their annointed candidate, to cause him to lose the election; this the man who collected $50,000 in campaign donations from a monastery where the monks had taken a vow of poverty; who when asked about campaign contributions from the Communist Chinese government had the brilliant retort of no controlling legal authority or some such Clintonism. Your perception is truly amazing! Upstanding and honorable, allright. Just like the interpretation of Bush's statement about being a Constitutionalist (which Bush ISN'T) as meaning he wanted to return to the days when a black counted as 3/5 of a person. Yup, honorable and upright, yeah, you got it!

And while you're at it, Brother, lay some of that kind of poverty on me, will ya'!

 

[Unclebill]

Originally posted by Johnny Mayberry
Well...except for Bush, who was $elected by teh Supreme Court. I know I'll prolly get flamed for speaking the truth, but oh well..

Not for the truth, only for stupid shit like this.

 

[Gil_Favor]

Well...except for Bush, who was $elected by teh Supreme Court. I know I'll prolly get flamed for speaking the truth, but oh well..

You wouldnt know the truth if it bit you in the ass...........

 

[Gil_Favor]

I agree cockholded- I think that our media today paints a terribly one-sided picture of America as well. I merely used the last few presidents as an example because we elected them.

You agree with this racist? Says a lot about you and your virtues and morality..........

 

[Johnny Mayberry]

And all teh flaming in the world simply proves my point: perception is more important to most people than reality. Being on teh 'right' side, and pushing everyone else into the 'wrong' side, is more important than a rational look at the facts.

 

[Gil_Favor]

And all teh flaming in the world simply proves my point: perception is more important to most people than reality. Being on teh 'right' side, and pushing everyone else into the 'wrong' side, is more important than a rational look at the facts.

Perception IS reality for everyone...............You are no different

 

[Cleopatra]

You can't win unless you lie, cheat, and slander your opponents, and the media certainly plays along.

I was about to say, "sad, but true" to this, but then I was wondering - why is it? Are we just too accustomed to it? Is it what we expect now?

I do think morals and virtue still exist. It just depends exactly how *you* define them.

 

[Eumenides]

I don't think that you can attribute immorality to some new wave of lying and/or corruption in the world today, and you certainly can't limit it to the United States.

Examples:

~Julius Caesar was killed by men who rationalized their actions because they thought he might have accepted the crown and done away with the republic they valued so.

~Nazi Germany's deadly discrimination of people based on religion, ancestry, and mental capacities.

~Persecution of Christianity in ancient Rome which became theater sport as gruesome as movies today, only real.

There are many more, but this being serious thing gives me heartburn.

Last sentiment:

The world is not black and white, it never has been. There are always different shades of gray depending upon the perspective.

 

[truegentleman]

You shouldn't look for morals and virtue in politics, or even the business world for that matter. Everything revolves around winning at all costs. And no, it shouldn't be that way, but if people want to blame it on someone, all they need to do is look in the mirror. We place so much emphasis on money and power, that is all people seem concerned with. Look at your schools. How many are named for long time teachers who spent their lives teaching our kids? Then how many are named for politicians or business leaders who only want to see their name on a building as an ego boost for them? Most of whom, couldn't care less about the students inside those schools.