• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Who decides societal morality?

Societal morality is...

  • ...rigid and inflexible, determined by those few who know best

    Votes: 1 5.3%

  • ...flexible, always changing with the changes in popular opinion

    Votes: 8 42.1%

  • ...somewhere in between #1 & #2

    Votes: 3 15.8%

  • Other (please elaborate)

    Votes: 7 36.8%
  • Total voters
    19
Doesn't really matter. The only thing that matters are individual morality and universal morality-- societal morality is just a distraction.
 
Societal morality is determined by those with the power and the will to have them enforced. Individual morality of course can and often is different, and can push against societal morality. In a more free society, generally it becomes more open over time (notice the size of bathing suits changing in the US over the last 120 years, and how alcohol has been treated by the government over the same time frame.

In the US the government is generally the one to enforce societal morality, given the distaste of most Americans in having the government set morality, it is generally quite open when it comes morality issues in comparison to Saudi Arabia (where the people who set societal morality often break those rules at will).

In Israel, it has competing enforcers of morality, the state and orthodox jews who wish for stricter controls, which is at odds with the more liberal secular population
 
radcen said:
Who decides societal morality?

This question is prompted by another thread regarding capital punishment. There has been a lot of talk regarding people living within what's moral in society. (Yes, Tigger plays a big part in the inspiration for this question.) So, it got me thinking... while I do agree that society should have some level of a moral bar, where is that bar? Who decides? How is it decided?

Is it a set measure that exists whether people like it or not? Is it a "majority rules" kind of thing... which would make morality a moving target of sorts as times change?

Note: This question pertains to how we set the bar, not what the bar is.
Click to expand...

Easy, society.
 
......God......
 
CLAX1911 said:
No society. God has nothing to do with it.
Click to expand...

Didn't you know ? "God" is also in the bathroom with you................It's amazing the gods before whose altars men do grovel..................
 
Society's morals are ever changing based on popular opinion that is why laws get changed and repealed, people's opinions and morals change with time.
 
CLAX1911 said:
No society. God has nothing to do with it.
Click to expand...

That depends on the society. Some theocracies set up their societal morals based on their belief in God or beliefs about God (or lack thereof).
 
Ultimately, society does, of course. It's a lot like the tide, or the wheeling of a flock of birds... ultimately it is a massive confluence of influences and individual decisions resulting in collective norms.






That doesn't mean society is always right, or always chooses wisely, however.
 
Goshin said:
Ultimately, society does, of course. It's a lot like the tide, or the wheeling of a flock of birds... ultimately it is a massive confluence of influences and individual decisions resulting in collective norms.






That doesn't mean society is always right, or always chooses wisely, however.
Click to expand...




Very poetic imagery.....................I'm glad to see you acknowledge the underlying collective nature of "norm"..................
 
digsbe said:
That depends on the society. Some theocracies set up their societal morals based on their belief in God or beliefs about God (or lack thereof).
Click to expand...

Yeah, theocratic nations do not get their morality from God, they come up with their morality and design a god to fit it.
 
CLAX1911 said:
Yeah, theocratic nations do not get their morality from God, they come up with their morality and design a god to fit it.
Click to expand...

Whether or not their beliefs are based on God (which depends on how a person views God/correct religion) there are nations that say their morality is based on God and nothing else. I think some nations do dogmatically believe that. Likewise, there are also some that use their belief that God is not real to impose that view of social morality.
 
digsbe said:
Whether or not their beliefs are based on God (which depends on how a person views God/correct religion) there are nations that say their morality is based on God and nothing else. I think some nations do dogmatically believe that. Likewise, there are also some that use their belief that God is not real to impose that view of social morality.
Click to expand...

There are basins that say lots of things. But their morality is created by themselves. They can say it was God but it was what they want, if their culture changes then their God changes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom