Editorial April 3, 1989 Issue

Putting morality on our personal agenda

William E. Moody

In the recent book An Agenda for the 21st Century, basic morality is listed as a central issue that society must face squarely in the coming years. Quoting one of the most respected historians of our time, the book's editor makes this observation: "Asked to characterize the present, Barbara Tuchman calls it 'an Age of Disruption.' And the greatest disruption, she says, is found in 'the real deterioration of public morality.'" Rushworth M. Kidder, An Agenda for the 21st Century (Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press, 1987), p. 201 .

So much of the immorality today appears to be fostered by a self-centeredness that is, for the most part, concerned only with what is "good for me." And this so-called "good" is defined almost exclusively in material terms—by what feels good or by what promises to increase one's personal power, influence, or control.

In many ways immorality is based on a very limited sense of good. It's a kind of belief system that has decided there simply isn't enough good to go around and that therefore it's necessary to get as much as you can as fast as you can in any way that you can. Consequently, immorality cuts corners, abuses rights, and hurts people. Whatever temporary advantage it seems to gain often comes at the expense of others. And it can soon demean one's own self-respect and sense of worth. Even worse, immorality can eventually destroy careers, families, even literally one's human existence.

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