There are many controversial issues that exist within society today. So much so, that
many go unnoticed or unaddressed; however, few are highly publicized and receive much
attention, thought and subsequent action. One of the mainstream issues is that of society morality
conflicts, this includes topics such as abortion, atheism, drugs, suicide, prostitution, etc. Not only
are these subjects individually addressed, but they may come up in conflict intertwined.
For many years there has been a morality set in place. Morality is defined as the thought
of what is right and wrong, this includes thoughts, behaviors, decisions, actions, etc. There exists
an extension of this principle throughout society such as ethics within the workforce. People feel
that it is their duty and responsibility to uphold these standards as well as their right to ensure
others within society do the same. John Rawls stated that “individuals find their good in different
ways, and many things may be good for one person that would not be good for another…in a
well ordered society, then, the plans of life of individuals are different in the sense that these
plans give prominence to different aims, and persons are left free to determine their good, the
view of others being counted as merely advisory (Etzioni, A., 1996, p.8).” This dates back to
historical times prior to the creation of the United States of America and has been re-visited on
various occasions to include the time where citizens began to fight for civil rights and the
morality of the institution of slavery was questioned. This was one of the biggest highlights of
social morality issue as it was suppressed for so long, and once it came to light there seemed to
be mixed, strong opinions on the topic and its morality. Like Rawls acknowledged, people found
it to be moral for their benefit, the country determined it to be moral as it profited them, until
society took a stance on the issue and challenged the definition of morality. This had a major
impact on society as people began to voice their opinions and many have proven to be outraged,
the result being opposition to personal decision making and a high expectation of conformity or
following the norm. “And for most people, morality is not the only social concern in their lives;
they are concerned with personal goals as well. Most people are also concerned with other social
goals, such as matters of interdependence, efficiency, and pragmatics in social relationships
(Turiel, E., 2002).” The current status remains the same and is beginning to get worse as time
progresses as people become less humane and accepting to disparity.
This problem encompasses multiple disciplines intertwined within each other to form the
singular complex societal issue. Due to there being multiple areas of consideration, disciplines,
such as sociology, psychology, history and religion, the problem has yet to be resolved as it has
been approached only in mono-disciplinary tactics. Psychology sees problem as a consequence
of neurological functions. “Theorists of several persuasions unite in asserting that conscience
originates outside the individual, in societal influences (Sunar, D., 2002, p.5).” Different
characteristics such as age, gender, upbringing, etc affect the psychological standing of a person
and in turn the morality stand point the person holds. This is an important viewpoint as the mind
is at the center of one’s existence. It starts with a person’s thoughts and mindset on the issue,
how they act or react to an issue. Often times a person’s mindset is a result of experience or
acquired knowledge and feelings. The issue of social morality begins with the thought that the
topic is an issue, the development of an opinion and the expression of opposition to the action at
hand. Abortion, Atheism, Drugs, Suicide, Prostitution, are not crimes or considered negative
unless they are thought to be inappropriate. Abortion is still frowned upon both within religious
aspects as well as within society due to scientific ties. “The debate over whether or not abortion
should be a legal option continues to divide Americans long after the US Supreme Court’s 7-2
decision on Roe v. Wade declared the procedure a "fundamental right" on Jan. 22, 1973
(Abortion ProCon.org., n.d.).” The fact of the matter is that it is a personal choice that no such
morality is publicly acknowledged by law against it; although there are certain restrictions set in
place that display a level of morality. Atheism is another topic that sparks great debate as it goes
against the principle of religion. On the national atheist website they proudly display the message
“Since 1963, American Atheists has been taking the principled and uncompromising position
that our government should give no special treatment or preference to religious belief. Through
lawsuits, innovative public relations campaigns, and education, we are working to normalize
atheism and allow more and more people to set aside religious belief and superstition (American
Atheists | Home., n.d.).” The greatest opposition to such group of people is religious persons
whose moral beliefs are that there should be no such choice and that they are in the wrong for not
practicing religion. This is one of the most deadly fights to date, to include events such as ISIS
and other terrorist attacks, murders, etc. Drugs have always been thought of as negative by the
majority, however in today’s society the use of particular drugs is becoming increasingly
accepted, such as marijuana which is in the process of being legalized across the United States.
Suicide is another controversial topic that goes against religious beliefs as well. It is so much of a
social morality issue that there are national campaigns for prevention, etc. “Suicide takes the
lives of nearly 40,000 Americans every year (SAVE | Suicide Facts., n.d.).” Prostitution has
been a part of society for a long period of time, and much like slavery was considered a “norm”
when it was for the benefit of the country as a whole, the moment it became for personal gain,
society ruled it immoral. The second discipline to consider is Sociology because it allows a
person to see the problem as a result of the environment or their social location. This societal
issue relies heavily on the fact that it solely exists due to society as a whole opinions and set
norms. Social location is defined by location, culture, religion, race, social class, etc. Due to
differences in social location, there is a difference in morality. History has its place as a
discipline to be utilized because it sees the problem as a re-occurring event over a time period. It
is through history that social morality is passed down and adapted to fit the needs of the time.
Referencing slavery, the statement that questions the existence of social morality or prominence
of it being a strong societal issue is that of Professor Chambers, Jr. when he stated “we can
criticize the three-fifths compromise as an accommodation to slavery, as we can criticize the
Constitution for enforcing the continuation of slavery. But the question is not what we would do
today but what the drafters of the Constitution, or those among them who opposed slavery, could
have done in 1787. In that light, the compromise seems more understandable, if no less immoral
(Chambers, Jr., H. L., n.d.).” This is an example of how morality had not been addressed over
time although it certainly existed. It existed within history and that is used to determine certain
characteristics that are eliminated and those that are carried on. Religion is a major discipline as
it sees problem as a lack of purpose or faith. “Religion can be explained as a set of beliefs
concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the
creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual
observances, and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human affairs (BBC Religion: Religions., n.d.).” Religion is so powerful, that it is believed that if it is followed
exactly, there should be no issue of social morality or compromise of personal beliefs or values.
Although the societal issue contains multiple disciplines within it, it is important to
recognize that it may be solved through the integration of the various disciplines through
interdisciplinary studies. Interdisciplinary Studies is defined as “a process of answering a
question, solving a problem, or addressing a topic that is too broad or complex to be dealt with
adequately by a single discipline or profession . . . and draws on disciplinary perspectives and
integrates their insights through construction of a more comprehensive perspective (Defining
Interdisciplinary Studies., n.d., p.11).” The “grey areas” or information that is contained through
integration is what allows for solutions that are beyond the scope of a singular discipline
research.
When you look at the solution set based on the integration of the presented disciplines
you are able to find a common ground and a hybrid approach or perspective. This being that the
issue must be looked at from a sociological, psychological, historical and religious approach and
the use of something from all disciplines helps to gain an informed opinion about the topic. What
makes society morality conflicts so complex is the fact that it has everything to do with morality,
which differs from person to person; in order to solve the problem, one must know a general
definition of moral or what is in fact right and what is in fact wrong. Due to this being nearly
impossible, within research we must settle for societal norms or what is accepted by the mass as
right and wrong by law or other publicly established rules and generalizations. “One claim is that
contemporary American society is in a dire moral state, and there is urgent need for renewal,
revival, and recommitment. The existing or impending moral crisis is attributed to abandonment
and loss: abandonment of traditions, a loss of a sense of community, and a sharp decline in civic
participation and trust. In their place, it is said, we see pervasive orientation to individualism- an
individualism that has taken hold in such a way that it has become radical and threatening
(Turiel, E., 2002).” It is starting to be of great concern that people find social morality so dear to
their hearts that they are willing to exercise hate and even kill behind their stance. The sooner we
grow in understanding of the issue and find a universal solution, the better society becomes. It is
proposed that there be research conducted to determine one moral code to be adapted by man,
there will exist right and wrong and no in between. It should be agreed upon and followed
closely with no exceptions therefore there should be no debate and ultimately no problems.
References
Abortion ProCon.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://abortion.procon.org/
American Atheists | Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://atheists.org/
BBC - Religion: Religions. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
Chambers, Jr., H. L. (n.d.). Morality Wasn't the Issue in 1787 - NYTimes.com. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/02/26/the-constitutions-immoralcompromise/morality-wasnt-the-issue-in-1787
Defining Interdisciplinary Studies. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sagepub.com/upmdata/43242_1.pdf
Etzioni, A. (1996). The new golden rule: Community and morality in a democratic society. New
York: BasicBooks.
SAVE | Suicide Facts. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.save.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=705D5DF4055B-F1EC-3F66462866FCB4E6
Sunar, D. (2002). Psychology of Morality. Online Readings in Psychology and Culture, 2(1).
http://dx.doi.org/10.9707/2307-0919.1012
Turiel, E. (2002). The culture of morality: Social development, context, and conflict.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tushman, M. L., & Romanelli, E. (1983). Uncertainty, Social Location and Influence in
Decision Making: A Sociometric Analysis. Management Science.
doi:10.1287/mnsc.29.1.12