Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Are we a bit vague about teaching morality to children?

#1
confused2 Offline
The 'we' is anyone - could be you or could be your neighbour or could be ... anyone.
Reply
#2
Syne Offline
Definitely less vague than the OP.
Reply
#3
C C Offline
(Sep 24, 2017 01:30 PM)confused2 Wrote: The 'we' is anyone - could be you or could be your neighbour or could be ... anyone.


Setting their outward talk and personal claims aside, the average person is probably more regulated by mixed local customs and practical responses to contingent circumstances than being robotically guided by some definite system. But just to entertain reality-wise that each has or should have a fully idealized plan that's either adequately or inadequately being instructed to the kids...  

Obscureness wouldn't be universal, but statistically there's going to be a percentage that lack a clearly defined scheme of morality. Or (more to the topic) do a poor job of formally expressing the traditions they're riding on momentum-wise to their kids (relying on the children to infer such instead). I.e., it would be more momentum / habit than justified practices ("do or don't do this because of _X_ reasons") due to their handed-down customs for conduct being so informally documented / expressed or not documented / expressed at all. Why there is a vague transmission of their supposed "moral system" to the next generation to begin with.

- - -
Reply
#4
Syne Offline
There's also a huge difference between religious and secular teaching of morality...secular being very vague and often nonexistent.
Reply
#5
confused2 Offline
Deliberately vague so it can be taken any way anyone wants to go with it. Or indeed the way I want to go with it.
Last year I watched two seagulls hatch and grow up on my roof. The first (Junior A) hatched 4 days before Junior B and was twice the size of Junior B for most of their time together. Junior A took the food given to Junior A and Junior B took the food given to Junior B. If Junior B dropped any food it was obvious Junior A was keenly aware of it but made no attempt to steal it despite having the advantage of size and strength. One evening I put out a bowl of water - apart from occasionally moving the camera they wouldn't normally see me and they didn't approach the bowl of water for some time - the bowl was off-camera so I didn't see what they did with it. The next evening the water was pretty horrible so I put out a fresh bowl of water. This time they came scooting towards the bowl and seemed to be pecking the surface, not only that but they were taking it in turns to do it. Looking down I saw what they were up to - they were pecking the surface and watching the ripples - under the streetlight I'd accidentally made a ripple tank. Apart from the paddling and whatever else they'd done the previous night the first thing they wanted to do with clean water was make ripples. Both of them. Taking turns to do it.
Reply
#6
Magical Realist Offline
(Sep 24, 2017 10:48 PM)Syne Wrote: There's also a huge difference between religious and secular teaching of morality...secular being very vague and often nonexistent.

Better to cut thru all the moralistic bullshit that religion saddles children with like sin and shame and satan's temptations and God's punishing wrath and just show them a life of serving your community and having compassion and not judging others. Religion screws people up so bad by confusing ethics with obeying some invisible father figure, effectively stunting them in their path towards becoming mature and self-aware persons. True ethics comes down to compassion and respect and doing no harm.
Reply
#7
Syne Offline
(Sep 25, 2017 02:10 AM)Magical Realist Wrote:
(Sep 24, 2017 10:48 PM)Syne Wrote: There's also a huge difference between religious and secular teaching of morality...secular being very vague and often nonexistent.

Better to cut thru all the moralistic bullshit that religion saddles children with like sin and shame and satan's temptations and God's punishing wrath and just show them a life of serving your community and having compassion and not judging others. Religion screws people up so bad by confusing ethics with obeying some invisible father figure, effectively stunting them in their path towards becoming mature and self-aware persons. True ethics comes down to compassion and respect and doing no harm.

Except many secular parents don't seem to manage anywhere near that much.

If you knew anything but your self-serving anti-religious bias, you might realize that religion teaches objectivity (being aware of your actions as an invisible observer, even when no one else is around). Where secularism has no defense against the "only wrong of you're caught" mentality.

You can kill people with unbridled compassion...forever enabling substance abusers, criminals, etc. instead of realizing that people only get better under their own motivation.
Reply
#8
Magical Realist Offline
Quote:You can kill people with unbridled compassion...forever enabling substance abusers, criminals, etc. instead of realizing that people only get better under their own motivation.

The only way people get better is if you treat them with enough respect and compassion for them to gain their own sense of self-worth and motivation to improve themselves. Judging them as inferiors who should be abandoned only weighs them down more. They need to be treated not as victims but as survivors who are worth being helped and guided to better themselves.
Reply
#9
Syne Offline
(Sep 25, 2017 03:37 AM)Magical Realist Wrote:
Quote:You can kill people with unbridled compassion...forever enabling substance abusers, criminals, etc. instead of realizing that people only get better under their own motivation.

The only way people get better is if you treat them with enough respect and compassion for them to gain their own sense of self-worth and motivation to improve themselves. Judging them as inferiors who should be abandoned only weighs them down more.

Who said anything about judging anyone as "inferior"? O_o
Oh right, forgot I was talking to the bigot.

People generally justify their own current motives...no matter what they are. And some people will not see the damage they do to themselves and others without being allowed to hit bottom, including facing honest reactions to their actions.

But no one ever accused you of understanding basic psychology.
Reply
#10
Magical Realist Offline
(Sep 25, 2017 04:10 AM)Syne Wrote:
(Sep 25, 2017 03:37 AM)Magical Realist Wrote:
Quote:You can kill people with unbridled compassion...forever enabling substance abusers, criminals, etc. instead of realizing that people only get better under their own motivation.

The only way people get better is if you treat them with enough respect and compassion for them to gain their own sense of self-worth and motivation to improve themselves. Judging them as inferiors who should be abandoned only weighs them down more.

Who said anything about judging anyone as "inferior"? O_o
Oh right, forgot I was talking to the bigot.

People generally justify their own current motives...no matter what they are. And some people will not see the damage they do to themselves and others without being allowed to hit bottom, including facing honest reactions to their actions.

But no one ever accused you of understanding basic psychology.

You really can't talk to anyone without making personal insults can you? Fuck off..
Reply


Possibly Related Threads…
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  The morality behind veganism Leigha 138 12,864 Feb 11, 2024 07:36 PM
Last Post: Syne
  Keeping it vague about HAOs: Political drama queens at the Pentagon? C C 3 117 Feb 17, 2023 02:23 PM
Last Post: Zinjanthropos
  Teaching law students creative skills could save the profession from automation C C 0 267 Jun 21, 2018 05:24 PM
Last Post: C C
  Taxes, corporations, and morality Syne 4 924 Jan 3, 2018 01:36 AM
Last Post: Syne



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)