The tug of war between moral law and systematic legal law is a timeless one that has trickled into modern day society.
Ironically, legal law was introduced to uphold and protect the morals of society.
ALSO READ : In my view: Choice: We all have one
However, with the passing of time various social and environmental factors, such as urbanisation and the 4th industrial revolution, we have witnessed the evolution of society and social norms. Nowadays, social norms often put us in positions where we question what is wrong and what is right. And, quite frankly, the whole concept of norms has disintegrated into something that is subject to one’s personal understanding.
It’s often said that how you were raised determines who you become.
In modern day society we have seen people neglect teachings that were bestowed upon them as children, in an effort to acquire one’s own identity. We are motivated to discard the teachings of ethnic culture and adopt the liberal mindset that in turn has produced its own modern day norms. This has caused an ever-growing divide amongst humans due to the growing differences between what one party may see as right, and what another may see as wrong.
In essence, what I may see as right and just to me, may be deemed wrong and unjust by you, which leads me to a concept known as: ethnocentrism – judging another culture’s standards by those of your own.
An ethnocentric mentality puts us in a position where our innate self-righteousness as humans, based on our own individual understanding, entitles us to make judgments of what is right or wrong in another culture or religion.
Some eastern nations are often criticised by those in the western due to some of their traditional practices, and are lambasted constantly for their convictions.
One may find that residents of those countries have no issues with the laws that are enforced as they go hand in hand with the practice of that religion.
The irony of liberal culture is that ‘tolerance’ is at the forefront of their teachings. Tolerance that is conditional it seems.
Tolerate those who agree with you, and make sure to alienate, attack and belittle those that differ… interesting, isn’t it.
The sad part about all of this is that the little common ground we have left in terms of agreement when it comes to morals, is that the legal systematic law is no longer truly upheld by the morals upon which it was founded. This is evident in the fact that legal trials are based on what you can prove, as opposed to what is true.
The fact that one can kill in cold blood and get away with it is evidence of this giant flaw in our society. We as a society have become far to flimsy in our existence.
Moral law and legal law continue to repel against each other due to self-righteousness, so ask yourself, “is this how we choose to live as humans?” I’ll let that simmer.
HAVE YOUR SAY
Like the South Coast Herald’s Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram
